Reverend June Major, who now lives in Durban, is suing her former employer for alleged financial loss, impairment to her dignity and emotional stress, allegedly as a result of a job she applied for in Australia and then did not get.
She has blamed the church’s failure to provide important “information timeously” to the Diocese of Wangaratta, for losing her a R42 000 salary package.
Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba (the head of the church in SA), the Bishop of Table Bay Bishop Garth Quinton Counsell and the Diocese of Cape Town are also cited as defendants in the lawsuit.
It is understood both Makgoba and Counsell were served with the summons and this week they gave notice of their intention to defend the action.
June alleges that between 2004 and 2014 she informed Counsell of several incidents of sexual and verbal harassment against her, allegedly by members of the clergy.
She said the verbal harassment was in response to her pro-Palestinian views.
Counsell allegedly omitted or failed in his duty to provide pastoral care to her and as a result, she decided to resign as rector of St Matthew’s Church in Claremont.
In November 2015, the church in Wangaratta requested a report of her service directly from Makgoba, who in turn forwarded the request to Counsell.
However, according to the summons, both parties failed or refused to do so, and she lost the job.
Neither the Anglican Diocese nor Counsell responded to queries for comment.