Msebenzisa Mashona

The South African National Blood Services (SANBS) generated over R4 billion in the last audited financial year (2024). They had a surplus of R274million, down from R394mln the year before. Their executive team earns between R2.1mln and R5.8mln a year. Everyone in the NPO's value chain gets paid... from nurses, to doctors, to testers, to transport, to storage, to accountants, to marketing agencies, etc... except the blood donors. They offer gifts that they pay suppliers for, but apparently aren't allowed legally to give donors money or benefits in-kind. They own vehicles, properties and other assets that generate income for them. All this from "selling" (they say it's not selling but recouping processing fees) blood at over R2000 per pint to govt hospitals (paid for by our tax money) & over R3000 per pint to private healthcare. In private healthcare you'll pay from R4000 to R9000 to R16,000 to R30,000 for blood when you need it. Donors unfortunately don't get free blood in hospital, the day they need it. I don't care who argues what, but this is wrong. Countries like the USA & the UK pay blood donors. Sperm & egg donors in SA get compensation for the efforts needed to "freely donate" their produce. Change the bogus act. Pay donors R50 to R100, after their blood has been approved. Flag & blacklist donors with dodgy blood. And don't pay them. And let the Dept of Health take ownership of collecting, testing, storing & processing blood... not a private Non-Profit, with a monopoly over blood they get freely from us. Without compensating us for transport, food or other needs for our good blood. End.