Ray Alexander Simons (née Alexandrowich; (31 December 1913 – 12 September 2004) was a South African communist, anti-apartheid activist, campaigner and trade unionist who helped draft the Women's Charter.
His best friend, Leib Jaffe, influenced Ray's thinking about socialist ideas and awareness of the vital function of organization to advance worker's right.
She declined because she believed that the fight against antisemitism should be a part of broader humanity's strive to achieve a new order of the world where all humankind would be free, including Jews.
[1][2] After Leah was arrested for her political activities, her mother was worried and immediately arranged for Simons to live with her sister in Cape Town.
17 October 1929 she left Varaklan on board German East Afrika Liner, Ubena and arrived at Cape Town to meet her sister at the docks on 6 November 1929, a day before the anniversary of the Russian Revolution.
[4] Five days after her arrival on 11 November 1929, she met Cissie Gool and lifelong friend John Gomas and joined the Communist Party of South Africa (CPSA).
[4] Simon worked in a dress shop and accompanied James Schuba who she met at the meeting of the party on the weekends to visit dock and harbour workers.
In 1935, she lost her job at the dress shop and she became full-time organizer of the Non-European Railway and Harbor Workers' Union[2] She was also a Secretary of the Communist Party for two years, from 1934 to 1935.
[7] Ray Alexander Simons, Helen Joseph, Lilian Ngoyi and Florence Mkhize found the Federation of South African Women (FSAW) in April 1954 and she was elected to be General Secretary of the organization.
[11] Ray Alexander Simons Memory Centre and Heritage Square in Guguletho was built and launched by Deputy President of South Africa, Kgalema Motlanthe on 6 November 2010.