The South African National Blood Service is calling on all eligible blood donors to give 30 of their 67 minutes for Mandela Day to donate blood and save a life.
SANBS spokesperson Khensani Mahlangu says they have been overwhelmed by outpourings of support after the violent protests and looting affected their donation centres and offices.
She says blood stocks are low and every donation makes a difference.
“We’ve welcomed the immense support shown to us following the looting of our donor centres, from various businesses wanting to partner with us to our fellow countrymen condemning the looting of our business centers.”
Mahlangu says, “The consistent support of our donors is helping us to keep the healthcare system going and is helping us to avoid unnecessary losses of lives during these trying times. So we encourage your continued support to ensure that we can continue carrying out our mission of being trusted to save lives.”
Meanwhile, Mandela’s wife Graca Machel has appealed to South Africans to continue to follow his legacy of resilience and his vision for a prosperous and inclusive society. Machel has released a statement to mark Mandela Day.
She laments the deaths of many South Africans during the unrest of the last week where shops and malls were looted in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
However, she says she is heartened to see people assisting in clearing the mess after the looting and making donations to those who are now short of food and other essentials.
Machel says South Africans also need to confront the root causes of the unrest.
“Let us support ethical leadership and the rule of law. And remember all in this in our own right. We have influence in our communities. My heart was warmed to see hundreds of ordinary citizens displaying incredible leadership this past few days. Volunteers protecting their neighbourhoods young and old lending a helping hand in cleaning up efforts.”
Additional reporting by Jamaine Krige
