SOUND MEDIA PRODUCTIONS
First and Foremost
Extraordinary Life: Ruth First
Comrade, communist, investigative journalist, prisoner, academic, mother and martyr, Ruth First was born on May 4 1925 in Johannesburg. Her parents were founder members of the Communist Party of South Africa, and Ruth followed in their political footsteps. She was detained without trial for 117 days. After her detention she went into exile and landed a research post at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo. On August 17 1982 she was going through her mail in her office. One of the letters contained a bomb, which killed her. She has a highway named after her, a prestigious fellowship, a university res, a hospital and even an environmental patrol vessel.
Nominated by: Lauren Beukes
Albie Sachs and Ruth First’s lives have interesting parallel trajectories: both were members of left-wing Jewish families, they were both detained for long periods, both went into exile and both were bombed in Mozambique. The explosion on April 7 1988, left Albie gravely wounded. He lost his right arm and the sight in one eye but he survived. Albie, a former Constitutional Court justice, talks about meeting Ruth and recalls the time she told her husband Joe Slovo she wished he’d fall out of a plane.
Expert: Justice Albie Sachs
Albie Sachs and Ruth First’s lives have interesting parallel trajectories: both were members of left-wing Jewish families, they were both detained for long periods, both went into exile and both were bombed in Mozambique. The explosion on April 7 1988, left Albie gravely wounded. He lost his right arm and the sight in one eye but he survived. Albie, a former Constitutional Court justice, talks about meeting Ruth and recalls the time she told her husband Joe Slovo she wished he’d fall out of a plane.
