FERH’s name change is about to happen
Far East Rand Hospital's (FERH) name will soon change to Ruth First Hospital.
At a general assembly held at the hospital’s multi-purpose centre last Thursday, hospital staff and external stake holders gathered to hear about the name changing process.
The hospital CEO Doctor Lekopane Mogaladi spoke about the history of Ruth and her role in the struggle.
He mentioned the importance of change as motivation to do better.
“The staff is excited about the change and so am I,” he says.
The MEC of Health in Gauteng, Qedani Mahlangu will soon inform the CEO on when to start the process of the official name changing programme and when the branding will be changed.
Lekopane claims FERH has different memories for different people, but it is necessary for the staff to be motivated on the values Ruth stood for.
Talks on changing the hospital’s name started in 2005.
The question was asked why the hospital was called ‘Far’ East Rand.
Following the question it was decided to find a name the hospital can be identified with.
Members of the public were asked to give suggestions of names and from those names hospital management came to the conclusion to use Ruth First.
In honouring her memory the hospital will change its name to Ruth First Hospital.
History
Ruth was a journalist, academic and political activist who studied at the University of the Witwatersrand with fellow students Nelson Mandela and Joe Slovo who she married in 1949.
Ruth was kept in solitary confinement under the notorious 90-day clause in 1963 and was released after 990 days.
She was immediately rearrested on the pavement outside the police station and was held for a further 27 days, during which she attempted suicide.
Soon after her release she left with her children to join Joe who had already fled the country to Britain.
They settled in North London and she threw herself into anti-apartheid politics and joined the anti-apartheid movements.
Following a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation conference on August 27, 1982, she was killed by a letter bomb.
She remained a listed communist and couldn’t be quoted in South Africa.
