WCBS urges blood donors to donate as stocks are critically low

The Western Cape Blood Service (WCBS) is urgently appealing to all donors to donate blood as its stocks across the province are critically low.

The blood service says they aim to maintain a five-day blood supply to ensure that sufficient blood is available for patients in need.

It says seven of the eight blood groups are currently below target.

The Western Cape Blood Service spokesperson, Marike Carli, says they only have a two-day supply of the O-positive and the O-negative blood groups.

She says the A-positive, B-negative and AB-negative are currently at a three-day supply, while B-positive and AB-positive are at a four-day supply.

Carli has urged people between 16 and 75 who weigh more than 52 kilograms and are in good health and lead a safe sexual life to donate blood.

We need you to donate blood! Blood stocks in the WC are low.

We only have 2 days’ blood supply left for O- blood, and 3 days’ supply for O+.

We aim for at least a 5-day blood supply.

Please find your closest blood donation clinic on our website: https://t.co/Y9rwSlGv84 pic.twitter.com/lt2sOTU4We — Western Cape Blood Service (@The_WCBS) August 12, 2026 Similarly, the Gauteng Department of Health is calling on communities to register as organ and tissue donors.

Officials say about 1 100 people in Gauteng are waiting for a kidney transplant, while more than 6 500 people are on waiting lists nationwide.

The department spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says one organ donor can save up to seven lives and tissue donation can help up to 50 people.

They are urging families to discuss donation wishes now, to ease decisions during times of grief.

“It’s a challenge, because one would have agreed, but then by the time we then want to implement what would have been agreed upon, then the families would say, culturally, we don’t believe in this.