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Parly approves gay marriages
14/11/2006 17:32 - (SA)
Cape Town - Parliament has approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provides for same-sex marriage, making South Africa the first African country to do so and one of only a few in the world.
The measure was opposed on Tuesday by almost all opposition parties, bar the Democratic Alliance, which allowed its members a free vote on the issue.
The bill provides for opposite-sex and same-sex couples of 18 years or older to solemnise and register a voluntary union, either by marriage or civil partnership.
Same-sex couples can be married by civil marriage officers and such religious marriage officers who consider these marriages not to fall outside the tenets of their religion.
Home Affairs Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said South Africa needed to fight and resist all forms of discrimination and prejudice, including homophobia.
The national council of provinces now also needs to approve the bill to meet a Constitutional Court deadline of December 1 to correct what it ruled in December last year was an unconstitutional definition of marriage in the legislation.
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