vote assures south africa gay marriage bill's success

Sources: 365gay.com

October 11, 2006: The African National Congress has voted to support the government's same-sex marriage bill.  The governing party had been split on the issue but the vote means that all ANC MPs will likely support the measure when it comes before Parliament.

The party decision also is seen as a stiff rebuke to Jacob Zuma who last month was forced to apologize for calling gay marriage "a disgrace to the nation and to God". The former Deputy President is seen as a likely contender for president but the party vote to support same-sex relationships is seen as throwing that into question.

The full party support came after members of the national executive committee reminded party members that the ANC had fought for human rights, which included gay rights, and equality for all.

With the party's full support there is little chance the bill will be defeated.

The bill is currently undergoing public hearings across the country.  The government expects the legislation to be enacted before a court imposed deadline.

Last December the Constitutional Court ruled that it is unconstitutional to deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. The court ordered Parliament to amend marriage laws within 12 months.

But while the ANC was grappling with the issue South Africa's Catholics were being told that the constitution is anti-family and anti-life.

Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, said the constitution was being placed above everything else and had no regard for the human family.

"Human beings cannot function without a deity," Napier said calling on the faithful to let their MPs know they opposed same-sex marriage.

"It's against nature. It is against what marriage was intended for - to have children. That kind of activity cannot bring life. There is no way we can give a person the right to do something that is morally wrong," he told a meeting of Catholic educators in Johannesburg.