The South African First Aid League (SAFAL) was founded in April 1935 with the prime purpose of providing first aid training to the community at large specifically in their mother tongue. This mission was extended to include provision of first aid assistance at sport and other community activities.

The operation of the organisation is based on a constitution making provision from an executive committee, senior management, regional management, branch management and members.

This National organization has a countrywide infrastructure that is controlled from its head office in Randburg. Administrative control is exercised by the Executive Director who reports to an Executive Committee which is elected every two years by representatives of the members who come from all walks of life and all different race groups.

SAFAL is registered with the Department of Labour and is also fully accredited with the Health and Welfare Seta as a service provider for first aid.

We are also affiliated to the Resuscitation Council of Southern Africa.

SAFAL is very meticulous to comply with the minimum requirements as laid down because it forms the cornerstone of quality training

Our Mission

• to deliver welfare and other services during disasters and/or other emergency situations;

• to show neighborly love by serving fellow man in all health matters;

• to cultivate a spirit of self sacrifice and service to others within as well as outside the League;

• to promote the health of humanity by distribution of knowledge and the creation of health awareness; and

• to perform, undertake, promote and support anything in relation to health and to take any precaution with regard to health. 

Our History

The South African First Aid League was the brainchild of Mr. George Annandale Nezar, who in 1934 realized that his mother tongue, Afrikaans should be recognized as a language medium in which basic first aid skills could be taught to South Africans.

The Afrikaanse Taal- en kultuurvereniging (ATKV), at their sixth annual Congress on the 17th of April 1935, decided to initiate their own first aid movement. The first branch of the League was founded in Bloemfontein on the 9^th of August 1935. In 1954 the South African Railways recognized the organization as an official first aid training institution for their employees.

Mr. George Nezar edited the first manual of the organization and the first medical text of its kind in Afrikaans, which was published in 1938 with Dr H J Steyn as medical advisor. The manual was updated regularly, keeping up with the latest developments in first aid. As membership numbers grew in the 1950’s, the diversity of members requiring first aid training in their mother tongue brought about another milestone in South African medical text history:  the publication of first aid manuals in Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Venda and Tsepedi.

SAFAL became an independent non-profit organization in 1943.

Today SAFAL provides first aid training in Afrikaans and English in 9 regions throughout South Africa. Our first aid manuals are written by Prof. Oppel Greeff, who is also the President and Chief Surgeon of SAFAL.