Ruth First at 100: Behind the legend
Too often defined by her death, her life was one of fierce intellect, courage and principle
02 May 2025 - 05:00
The atmosphere in Ruth First’s office on the afternoon of August 17 1982 was relaxed, First’s former colleague Bridget O’Laughlin told the Truth & Reconciliation Commission. Also present in the room at the Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo were Pallo Jordan (then the head of research for the ANC) and Prof Aquino Bragança, First’s boss.
First and Bragança were teasing each other about who had received the most important mail when the package First was opening exploded in her hands. “I thought,” recalls O’Laughlin, “I'm going to die, and then I realised, no, you know you’re alive.”..
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