civil unions bill taking long

By Nthateng Mhlambiso (BTM Senior Reporter)

September 22, 2006: The much awaited demonstrations against the Civil Unions Bill spearheaded by the Marriage Alliance of South Africa (MASA) a week ago were not that successful.

According to designated MASA’s city coordinators, demonstrations in Polokwane and Tzaneen in Limpopo were called off, while only 1000 religious representatives participated in Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape) and approximately 3000 in Johannesburg (Gauteng).

Even so, the Johannesburg city coordinator, Ron Steele, argued that their march was well attended and that it was a great success. “We started at Constitution Hill up to Library Gardens where we handed our memorandum”, she said.

Rev Moss Ntlha of the Marriage Alliance of South Africa denied that the marches were cancelled. “There was a misunderstanding that all marches were going to take place on the same day. In some cases we had permissions on time while in some there were some delays. We reckoned staggering the marches is better.”

Asked what will happen should the government go ahead with the Civil Union Bill despite oppositions from religious leaders, “It’s their call” was all that Ntlha had to say. “I suspect that the Constitutional court might query it (the bill) as insufficient. I hear that some in the gay community don’t like it either”, he added.

On the other hand oral submissions are presently being made by members of the public concerning the bill through public hearings organized by the Home Affairs portfolio committee in parliament, which commenced with Gauteng. The hearings are expected to run until early October.

The debates around the bill have split the churches in South Africa where some totally abhor it (the bill). Good Hope Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), a Cape Town based congregation and a worldwide movement in more than 22 countries, believes that any person irrespective of sexual orientation, who wishes to enter into marriage should have the right to do so, and that religious communities should have the right to decide whether or not they will provide religious services to sanctify that marriage.

"Many of those who speak out against gay people have hardly any actual facts about gay or lesbian people.  Those who would lecture homosexual people on the so-called immorality of their lives don't know the first thing about how they actually live", says Sharon Cox, a member of MCC.

“Good Hope MCC believes firmly that every person is created in the image of God and is loved by their Creator irrespective of their sexual orientation”, she says.

In its open letter to the Chairs of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committees on Home Affairs and Justice & Constitutional Development on marriage, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) has affirmed the equal dignity worth of every individual.

“As South Africans, we are proud that our society is founded on a Constitution that respects the fundamental human rights of all people and promises everyone equal protection before the law. We feel called by our faith and our convictions to articulate a religious motivation for marriage equality as a contribution to the public discussion of the reform of the Marriage Act, as required by the Constitutional Court”, Eddie Makue, General Secretary of the SACC said in the letter.

“Public input is always vital as it gives stakeholders opportunity to air their views”, government spokesperson Themba Maseko said earlier.