Makgoba remorseful

ANGLICAN Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba has conceded that the church is lagging behind in its care for victims of sexual abuse.

He said he has begun consultations with bishops to strengthen procedures for dealing with cases of sexual abuse in the church.

The Anglican Church has been rocked by another disclosure of sexual abuse, weeks after a well-known author broke a 40-year silence on his experience.

David Fields (not his real name) told the Cape Times’ sister publication, the Weekend Argus, how he endured abuse from the late 1970s until the early 1980s when he was 13.

Before this, former Anglican and award-winning South African author Ishtiyaq Shukri broke his silence in an open letter on sexual assaults he allegedly endured at St Cyprian’s Grammar School.

Shukri accused the Anglican church of a “conspiracy” of silence around sexual abuse.

Makgoba said in a statement yesterday that recently, four individuals have spoken out publicly or contacted his office privately to report experiences of sexual abuse in two dioceses, apparently during the 70s and 80s.

“In Southern Africa, church law makes provision for someone who holds a licence to minister in the church, and who is accused of sexual assault or harassment, to be charged before a church tribunal within their diocese, and disciplined if found guilty. We have also advised complainants in the past to lay charges with the police,” he said.

“However, it is clear from the experiences reported in the last few weeks that we are lagging behind in our care for victims of abuse.”

In Cape Town, Makgoba established a team to advise him on handling of complaints. It included a psychologist, a lawyer, a priest and the head of an institution involved in a case.

“However, since that team does not have the capacity to advise bishops across Southern Africa I wrote to all our bishops last week advising them to establish similar advisory teams in their dioceses and in their local archdeaconries and parishes,” Makgoba said.

“I have asked that these teams be appointed to intervene when there are allegations of abuse in parishes or church schools.

“I am also urgently consulting more widely on how the Church can not only act more effectively, but be seen to act effectively in cases of sexual abuse.”

Makgoba took responsibility for what has happened in the church in the past, where it has wronged or failed anyone and asked for their forgiveness.

Former St Matthews Church reverend June Dolley-Major, who alleged in 2016 that a bishop and reverend had attempted to rape and sexually harass her, yesterday said she felt vindicated.

Dolley-Major said when she first spoke up, she was branded a “trouble-maker”.

“Whoever talks about it, you get isolated, victimised, pushed aside. The perpetrators continue to minister, and the victims get shunned. You lose everything, the minute you speak out,” she said.

“There are so many victims out there, broken, who are struggling to deal with their marriages and relationships.

“The Archbishop through the years, has covered this up… to protect the name of the church. Archbishop Makgoba is at the forefront of speaking about injustices, he speaks about government corruption, but within his own church there is so much pain.”

Makgoba is set to address sexual abuse in his Easter message. The Anglican Church of Southern Africa covers SA, Angola, Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland and the island of St Helena.