The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) hosted a successful blood donation drive at Mall of the South, collecting 30 units of blood.

SANBS representative Samantha Pillay said the initiative was well supported by the community, contributing to the organisation’s ongoing efforts to maintain a stable blood supply.

The organisation’s latest performance highlights show that blood stock stability has reached record levels, with no supply cutbacks reported in recent years.

SANBS has also strengthened donor engagement through campaigns such as Red Saturday, which collected 6 870 units, while continuing to expand mobile donation units and improve donor retention.

Financially, SANBS exceeded expectations, reporting a R447.8 million surplus and achieving a 10.1% net surplus, well above its 1.3% target.

The organisation has also maintained high operational standards, with full accreditation across its facilities and improved supply chain efficiency ensuring the availability of critical medical consumables.

Blood donations remain critical in South Africa, where a single unit of blood can help save up to three lives.
Community drives like the one held at Mall of the South play an important role in sustaining this supply while raising awareness.

Among those supporting the drive was Ryan Ellapan, who shared a deeply personal reason for getting involved.

“I wanted to do this drive because I am a recipient of blood donation due to the transplant, so blood donation played a role in saving my life,” he said.

SANBS continues to encourage the public to donate regularly, emphasising that consistent donor participation is essential to maintaining the country’s life-saving blood reserves.