Body Donations
In Southern Africa, several universities offer body donation programs that play a crucial role in training medical and health sciences students. Donated bodies are utilised for teaching anatomy to health science students, as well as for training professionals in new techniques. If you or a family member are interested in body donation, please contact any of the following major institutions.
Department of Human Biology
Eligibility: Donors should reside in the greater Cape Town area
Contact: Michael.Cassar@uct.ac.za
University of the Free State (UFS)
Eligibility: Donors should reside within the Bloemfontein area
Contact: Potgieterh@ufs.ac.za
Discipline of Clinical Anatomy
Eligibility: Donors should reside within the Durban area
Contact: bodydonation@ukzn.ac.za
University of Namibia
Eligibility: Donors should reside within the Namibia area
Contact: apoolman@unam.na
National Tissue Bank (NTB)
Eligibility: Donors should reside within 200km of Pretoria
Contact: ntb@up.ac.za
Eligibility: Donors should reside within 200km of SMU
Contact: nhlanhla.japhta@smu.ac.za
Division of Clinical Anatomy
Eligibility: Donors should reside within the Western Cape
Contact: su_bodydonations@sun.ac.za
School of Anatomical Sciences Anatomy
Eligibility: Donors should reside within 300k of Johannesburg
Contact: Faith.Sambo@wits.ac.za
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Anyone can register to donate their remains at any point during their lifetime or family may also donate your remains as a next of kin donor.
Donated bodies are used for various purposes, including:
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Anatomy education: Students in medical and health science fields learn human anatomy through dissection.
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Surgical training: Surgical specialists use cadavers to hone their practical skills.
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Research: Bodies are used in research to advance medical knowledge.
All body donation programs adhere to the National Health Act and ethical guidelines to ensure respectful and legal use of donated bodies.
All donations are an altruistic gift and costs, such as transportation and cremation, are covered by the institutions.
Institutions may not pay the donor or the family any money for the donation.
Donors can choose to have their remains returned to their families after dissection and cremation, or they can donate their bodies to the institution indefinitely.