South Africa approves gay marriage
Religious groups oppose the legislation
South Africa has become the first African country to legalise gay marriage after the nation's parliament approved the legislation. A total of 230 MPs voted for the civil union bill after a stormy debate at the parliament in Cape Town, while another 41 opposed the measure and three abstained.
The bill, which allows for civil unions to be solemnised by way of either a marriage or a civil partnership, has been widely opposed by religious groups, conservatives and traditionalists. The government has said the new legislation forms part of a wider commitment to battle discrimination.
"We need to fight and resist all forms of discrimination and prejudice, including homophobia," Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the home affairs minister, said before the vote on Tuesday. The measure was also warmly welcomed as an historic step by the Joint Working Group, a national network of 17 gay, bisexual and transgender organisations.
"The [bill] signals a rejection of previous attempts to render lesbian and gay people as second-class citizens," Fikile Vilakazi, the group's spokesman, said in a statement. "It demonstrates powerfully the commitment of our lawmakers to ensuring that all human beings are treated with dignity."
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