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Iranti makes a submission to Parliament on the Civil Union Amendment Bill.
IrantiLeave a Comment on Iranti makes a submission to Parliament on the Civil Union Amendment Bill.

The Civil Union Amendment Bill seeks to repeal section 6 of the Civil Union Act. Section 6 of the Civil Union Act provides that “[a] marriage officer…may in writing inform the Minister that he or she objects on the ground of conscience, religion and belief to solemnising a civil union between two persons of the same sex…”.  The implementation of this section has created practical difficulties for homosexual couples who want to get married as many of them have been turned away by marriage officers. Iranti regards this as state-sactioned homophobia.

Civil Union Amendment Bill Submissions_IrantiDownload

Section 6 violates and infringes on both the right to equality as well as the right to dignity of homosexual couples in the country. This infringement cannot be justified in terms of the limitation of rights under section 36 of the Constitution.

Annexure 1Download

Iranti echoed the words of Justice Sachs in the National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality and Another v Minister of Justice and Others, where he emphatically said “[like] justice, equality delayed is equality denied”.

Iranti wholeheartedly supports the proposed amendment to repeal section 6.

Please support Iranti and other organisations to ensure that this section is repealed by sending an email to Mr Zolani Rento at zrento@parliament.gov.za or Mr G Dixon at gdixon@parliament.gov.za by no later than Friday, 29 November 2019 in support of the submission.

If you would like to submit to Parliament, here is a draft email:

Dear Mr Zolani Rento

I support the amendment to repeal section 6 of the Civil Union Act.

Section 6 of the Civil Union Act provides that “[a] marriage officer…may in writing inform the Minister that he or she objects on the ground of conscience, religion and belief to solemnising a civil union between two persons of the same sex…”.  The implementation of this section has created practical difficulties for homosexual couples who want to get married as many of them have been turned away by marriage officers.

This violates and infringes on both the right to equality as well as the right to dignity of homosexual couples in the country. This infringement cannot be justified in terms of the limitation of rights under section 36 of the Constitution.