One of the most widely discussed and rapidly funded campaigns on BackaBuddy since the start of the year was the campaign for Warrant Officer Karl Sanders.
More than 52,000 crowdfunding campaigns have been launched on BackaBuddy since the start of the year, with medical emergencies continuing to dominate as South Africans increasingly turn to online fundraising to cope with rising financial pressures.
According to BackaBuddy, 52,509 campaigns were created on the platform during the first six months of 2026, marking a significant increase compared with the same period last year.
“Health and medical campaigns continue to be one of the strongest categories on BackaBuddy. Many of these campaigns are created by families and communities raising funds for medical emergencies, surgeries, treatment, rehabilitation, assistive devices and other healthcare-related needs," BackaBuddy spokesperson and Campaigns Lead Simbulele Jezile said.
Jezile told IOL the marked increase in campaigns in 2026 was driven by a combination of platform changes and broader economic realities.
