Rachel Simons
Encyclopedia
Rachel Simons (1914 - 12 September 2004) was a South African communist and trade unionist who helped draft the Women's Charter.
She was born in Latvia
as Rachel Alexander and immigrated to Cape Town
in 1929. In the 1930s she was active in the communist and trade union movements and was elected a member of the political bureau of the South African Communist Party
in 1938.
Ray Simons was instrumental in the formation of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) and was their first national secretary. She was banned from trade union work in 1953 by the government and in 1965, she and her husband, Jack fled to Lusaka
. They returned from exile in 1990. Ray Simons died in Cape Town
at the age of 91.
She was awarded the Isitwalandwe Medal
in 2004 by the African National Congress
.
She was born in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
as Rachel Alexander and immigrated to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in 1929. In the 1930s she was active in the communist and trade union movements and was elected a member of the political bureau of the South African Communist Party
South African Communist Party
South African Communist Party is a political party in South Africa. It was founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa by the joining together of the International Socialist League and others under the leadership of Willam H...
in 1938.
Ray Simons was instrumental in the formation of the Federation of South African Women (FEDSAW) and was their first national secretary. She was banned from trade union work in 1953 by the government and in 1965, she and her husband, Jack fled to Lusaka
Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
. They returned from exile in 1990. Ray Simons died in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
at the age of 91.
She was awarded the Isitwalandwe Medal
Isitwalandwe Medal
The Isitwalandwe Medal is the highest award given by the African National Congress . Isitwalandwe means “the one who wears the plumes of the rare bird.” It was customarily only given to the bravest warriors, those distinguished by their leadership and heroism.Past recipients...
in 2004 by the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
.
External links
- Milton Shain and Miriam Pimstone, Ray Alexander (Simons), Jewish Women Encyclopedia