Celebrating the legacy of Ruth First: A scholar, journalist, and activist who refused silence

Ruth First’s work continues to shape critical thought and social justice discourse in South Africa and beyond.

Nelson Mandela University Press hosted the thought-provoking discussion of the book, edited by Professors Saleem Badat and Vasu Reddy, at the South Campus Council Chambers.

From left, Momanti Shongwe, Siyabulela Mama, Professors Saleem Badat and Janet Cherry and Dr Marta Montanini

Prof Saleem Badat shared that his deep admiration for Ruth First inspired the work. What began as a short seminar reflection, he said, grew into a 90-page essay exploring her role in the liberation movement and her intellectual courage.

“Ruth First moved me from race-based analysis to one that also examined class and gender,” Badat reflected. “She was an incredible person who understood that to end apartheid, you needed more than talk, you needed to build a movement.”

Born in Johannesburg in 1925 to Jewish immigrant parents, Ruth First was raised in a politically active household. She joined the Communist Party’s youth wing and later became a journalist for the Mail and Guardian.

Her powerful investigative journalism, including her groundbreaking report on the brutal conditions on the Bethel potato farms, exposed apartheid’s inhumanity and sparked national protests. Her unwavering activism made her a target; in 1982, she was assassinated in Mozambique.

The book, Badat explained, examines Ruth First’s intellectual journey and her approach to activist research; scholarship that not only critiques injustice but also connects directly with social and political movements to drive change.

“She was what I call an insider-outsider,” he said. “She was loyal to the liberation movement, yet she never stopped questioning it.”

Badat reminded the audience of Ruth First’s timeless warning: “Silence in the face of injustice is complicity.” Her belief that “the power of the people is greater than the power of any state” remains a call to action in today’s world marked by inequality, corruption, and global crises.

The book brings together contributions from 15 scholars, blending seasoned and early-career voices. It highlights the ongoing importance of activist research in addressing today’s “organic crises” political, social, and educational and challenges universities to reconnect their work with public good ideals.

At its heart, Research & Activism: Ruth First & Activist Research is a tribute to Ruth First’s enduring influence, not only as a thinker who interpreted the world but as a woman who dared to change it.

Siyabulela Mama from the The Amandla! PE Collective reflected on the challenges and purpose of activist research in today’s academic and social context. He argued that true activist research must go beyond observation and participation; it must be rooted in the struggles of the people it studies.

“If knowledge is to build democratic societies,” he said, “then the creation of knowledge itself must be democratic.” Mama emphasised that researchers should not remain detached observers but become part of the movements they study, grounding their work in lived experiences and collective struggle. “Activist research,” he concluded, “is about building alternative power with the people, not about extracting from them.”

Former Nelson Mandela University SRC member Momanti Shongwe reminded the audience that real change cannot be built on empty slogans. “Whenever there’s a problem, politicians create slogans,” he said, “but rarely do they offer real, convincing solutions.”

He argued that struggle should not be about popularity or performance, but about genuine commitment to people’s pain. Shongwe urged young scholars to become research activists, thinkers and doers, who work alongside the working class to create meaningful, evidence-based change.

Dr Marta Montanini from the University of Turin, Italy, reflected on the power of language in activist research, stressing the need to “speak in languages people understand” and to create “new shared languages” when working with social movements.

She praised the book’s idea of connection, that being an activist researcher does not mean one fixed identity but rather moving between roles, building relationships, and finding meaning in small, practical actions.

Dr Montanini also highlighted the value of time, noting that “roots take time” and that genuine activist research requires patience, presence, and deep commitment to people’s lived experiences.