Priest who was allegedly raped by clergyman says Anglican Church not being fair

By Qama Qukula
Cape Talk
August 15, 2020

https://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/393142/priest-who-was-allegedly-raped-by-clergyman-says-anglican-church-isn-t-being-fair

Reverend June Dolley-Major says the Anglican Church has not been impartial in its attempts to investigate the priest who allegedly raped her.

The reverend has accused the clergy of covering up her rape ordeal, allegedly at the hands of a fellow priest, back in 2002 at the Grahamstown Seminary.

Last month, Reverend Major went on a hunger strike, outside the home of Archbishop Thabo Makgoba in Bishop’s Court, to push the church to take action.

This week, a group of women also staged a Women's Day protest outside Makgoba's residence in support of Reverend June Dolley-Major.

The 51-year-old former clergywoman has demanded that there be an external investigation after the Anglican Church Commission said it would conduct an internal probe.

The reverend has questioned how the church could investigate itself. She says they have made no practical commitments to help her seek justice and break the "culture of silencing" in the church.

Instead, she says she's been attacked on social media by a senior cleric within the Anglican church.

The church has said that they are willing to walk alongside me. I don't know how that actually plays out because, so far, what I've seen on the table is not really fair.

Reverend June Dolley-Major

We have asked for an external investigation team because the church cannot be investigator, judge, and jury into an investigation of one of their own... There's no impartiality in that.

Reverend June Dolley-Major

For 18 years they've silenced me and now they want to investigate themselves... It's been an extremely painful journey for me.

Reverend June Dolley-Major

The reverend says she's been trying to have her rape case reopen with the Grahamstown police.