South African Assembly Passes Gay Partnership Law

South Africa's ANC government today took another step in ramming through legislation facilitating same sex "marriages", as opposition politicians warned of "God's wrath".

The legislation was passed by the national assembly as the ANC hurried to meet an end-of-month deadline set by the constitutional court to get rid of offending aspects of the marriage laws.

The largest opposition grouping, the Democratic Alliance, allowed its MPs a free vote on the bill, but other parties opposed it. A number of ANC members are believed to be opposed, but fears of a rebellion in its ranks were not borne out.

One of the strongest opponents of legislative reform in the area, the leader of the African Christian Democratic party, Kenneth Meshoe, told the house that "rejecting God's laws and despising His word will result in those doing it being given over to the consequences of their sins and to divine wrath. Members must also be reminded that God is not mocked."

He added: "For the sake of the peaceful future of this nation, members of this parliament must stop provoking God to anger as the men of Sodom and Gomorrah did, and came under His judgment."

South Africa's lawmakers have attempted to combat discrimination via a compromise that allows two separate pieces of legislation to govern the law on marriage.

The country is notably chauvinist and there is believed to be overwhelming opposition to the extension of marriage rights to the gay community, including among traditional, or tribal, leaders. But the constitution protects gay people through its prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.

The ANC has therefore allowed the Marriage Act to stand while introducing the civil unions bill. Heterosexuals would be allowed to marry under either piece of legislation, while gay couples would be able to formalise their partnership only under the civil unions legislation.

Representatives of the gay community have objected that this, on its own, amounts to discrimination. Because the South African parliament is elected under the party list system the ANC does not allow free votes on grounds of conscience. "How do you give someone permission to discriminate in the name of the ANC?" indignantly demanded the chairperson of the ANC's parliamentary caucus, Vytjie Mentor, at the weekend.

The legislation still has to clear South Africa's second house, the council of provinces, before being signed into law by the president.