My father, Costa Gazidis, was a doctor who left apartheid South Africa for the UK in the late 1960s after being imprisoned for his politics – but was able to return in the early 90s to carry out public health work, especially in relation to HIV and Aids.
Costa was born in the mining town of Krugersdorp, the son of Greek immigrant parents, Efthimios Gazidis and Maria Tsolakidis, who ran a tea room. He was an outstanding student at Krugersdorp high school before going to Wits University to study medicine in 1953.
