A number of people can tell you that they know the popular South African political activist, communist, lawyer and SACP member, Joe Slovo but not a lot (including myself until recently) can say the same about his wife, Ruth First, who’s my next Silent Hero – sadly a victim of apartheid’s death squad.

Have you ever came across the book 117 Days and the 1988 movie “A World Apart”? Well, these two incredible pieces of work speak of the Ruth First story. Grab and have a look at them next time you happen to see them somewhere.

She was born on the 4th May 1925 in Johannesburg from Jewish immigrant parents and helped establish the Communist Party of South Africa. Matriculated in 1942 at Jeppe High School for Girls & went on to pursue her University qualification thereafter. She was a celebrated writer and journalist who made it her duty to shine light into migrant labour, oppression and women struggle issues.

Married Joe Slovo in 1949, the same year their daughter, Shawn was born. Shawn Slovo is a screenwriter who brought her mom’s life story into the film ‘A World Apart’. Both (Ruth and Joe) were banned in 1950 under the Suppression of Communism Act as a result of their political activism.

In 1953, First founded the South African Congress of Democrats and in 1955, sat on the drafting committee of the Freedom Charter. A year later, was arrested and charged with treason. The constant victimization continued, well into 1963 where she was held in solitary confinement for 117 days in total (An appropriate title for her first book, published in 1965, a year before she and her children left South Africa for England). She then settled in Maputo in 1977 after being appointed Professor and Research director at the centre for African Studies at Eduarto Mondlane University in Mozambique.

In 1982,following a UNESCO conference at the same institution, she was tragically killed by a letter bomb on the 17th August. In her honour, in 2005,the Department of Environmental Affairs named an environmental patrol vessel after her and a Scholarship entitled ‘Ruth First Jeppe High School for Girls Memorial Trust’ was established in 2010. The Ruth First Memorial lecture was also inaugurated in 1983.

Described as a very private person despite her wide contacts and public profile, her brilliant intellect and sharp criticism made her a feared political debator.

I remember you, Ruth Heloise First for putting your life and that of your family’s at risk in the hope of liberating the poor and oppressed.

Credit to sahistory.org.za