In South Africa, same-sex marriage is legal in all 9 provinces, making it the first African country to legalize same-sex marriage. The legislation was passed on November 30, 2006, and took effect on December 1 of that same year. Before this time, South Africa only recognized civil unions between same-sex couples, meaning they could not inherit each other’s property or make medical decisions on behalf of one another with injury or illness.
The Background
In 2006, the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled that laws banning same-sex marriage were unconstitutional. This made it legal for same-sex couples to marry and get married anywhere they wanted.
The First Marriages
In December 2017, the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled it was unconstitutional for the state to deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry. The ruling overturned a previous law from 1998 that prevented the same-sex marriage.
The Long Road to Change
Same-sex marriage was legalized on November 19, 2006, when the Constitutional Court of South Africa ruled that same-sex couples had a right to marry. The court made this ruling because it found that the Constitution demanded that people be treated equally and not just as individuals.
The Question of Validity
One of the most common questions that have arisen because of this ruling is whether it is valid. The answer to that question is yes, and there are many reasons. One of the more obvious reasons for the validity of this law is that the constitutional court, which has been recognized as an official body since 1994 passed it. They have legislative powers and can make rulings on any matters that they see fit.
What This Means for You
With the passing of the Civil Union Act, it is now possible for same-sex couples to get married. President Jacob Zuma signed the act into law on November 30th, 2006 and went into effect on April 6th, 2007. You may be asking yourself how this change will affect you or someone you know. Here are some important things to know about the new law: 1) This act does not require that any church officiate a same-sex marriage ceremony.
