South Africa: Wedding bells for gay couple
‘Johannesburg – “We’re ecstatic!” said Marie Fourie after receiving the go-ahead for marriage to her partner of 12 years, Cecelia Bonthuys.

The Supreme Court of Appeals gave the nod for the couple’s same-sex marriage on Tuesday. Bonthuys, 43, a nurse, said: “Cecelia and I have been together for 12 years, and we really would like to get married. It’s no joke for us. Do you think we would have kept on fighting for so long and in so many different courts if we weren’t serious?’

Common law ban on lesbian and gay marriages lifted
‘The Lesbian and Gay Equality Project (“The Equality Project”) has welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court of Appeals which today declared the common law prohibition of same sex marriage unconstitutional, which paves the way for the statutory and regulatory laws to be changed as well.

The decision of the Court held that the prohibition was unconstitutional, but was a split decision insofar as Justice Farham argued that the decision should be suspended for two years to allow for legislative reform to take place.

“We are very pleased at the Supreme Court of Appeals’ decision and we trust that this will encourage Government to make the necessary amendments to the statutory laws, rather than us having to challenge them in court”, said Mr Knoesen.’

This is great news! Thanks Eon.