Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba will on Tuesday announce whether controversial US pastor Steven Anderson say 2016 will be allowed to enter SA.
A statement from his office said that‚ last Monday‚ “representatives of the Lesbian‚ Gays‚ Bisexual‚ Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community handed over two petitions with more than 60 000 signatures to Gigaba following a meeting to discuss the intended visit”.
“Pastor Anderson has been accused of hate speech against the LGBTI community‚” the statement said.
On Friday ‚ the Department of Home Affairs said it was still deliberating on the issue‚ after Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Njongonkulu Ndungane had joined the chorus of those calling on government to deny entry to Anderson‚ who has an openly anti-gay stance.
Ndungane made the call after Anderson went on a rant about Gigaba — which he pronounces as Jigaba — calling him a ‘joke’ in a video broadcast.
Home Affairs dismissed this on Friday‚ saying: “We are not prepared to expend our energy on dealing with irrational aspersions directed at the minister.
“If we were to react to every insult directed at the minister‚ or the department‚ then South Africa will indeed become an empty country.”
On Anderson’s visit‚ Home Affairs said it “is still engaging with the LGBTI organisations and other stakeholders” and “an official announcement will be made after finalising the consultations and having weighed the facts”.
Anderson‚ of the Faithful Word Baptist Church in the US‚ achieved notoriety when he welcomed the tragic Orlando gay nightclub shooting earlier this year as having “rid the world of 50 sodomites”.
Home Affairs said: “The basis of our work is on managing comments directed at the LGBTI community and their rights. The department has reaffirmed its unwavering support for the LGBTI community.
“Our Constitution enjoins us to recognise the injustices of our past‚ honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land‚ and heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values‚ social justice and fundamental human rights for all.” – TMG Digital
Gigaba to announce decision on US anti-gay pastor on Tuesday
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba will on Tuesday announce whether controversial US pastor Steven Anderson say 2016 will be allowed to enter SA.
A statement from his office said that‚ last Monday‚ “representatives of the Lesbian‚ Gays‚ Bisexual‚ Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community handed over two petitions with more than 60 000 signatures to Gigaba following a meeting to discuss the intended visit”.
“Pastor Anderson has been accused of hate speech against the LGBTI community‚” the statement said.
On Friday ‚ the Department of Home Affairs said it was still deliberating on the issue‚ after Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Njongonkulu Ndungane had joined the chorus of those calling on government to deny entry to Anderson‚ who has an openly anti-gay stance.
Ndungane made the call after Anderson went on a rant about Gigaba — which he pronounces as Jigaba — calling him a ‘joke’ in a video broadcast.
Home Affairs dismissed this on Friday‚ saying: “We are not prepared to expend our energy on dealing with irrational aspersions directed at the minister.
“If we were to react to every insult directed at the minister‚ or the department‚ then South Africa will indeed become an empty country.”
On Anderson’s visit‚ Home Affairs said it “is still engaging with the LGBTI organisations and other stakeholders” and “an official announcement will be made after finalising the consultations and having weighed the facts”.
Anderson‚ of the Faithful Word Baptist Church in the US‚ achieved notoriety when he welcomed the tragic Orlando gay nightclub shooting earlier this year as having “rid the world of 50 sodomites”.
Home Affairs said: “The basis of our work is on managing comments directed at the LGBTI community and their rights. The department has reaffirmed its unwavering support for the LGBTI community.
“Our Constitution enjoins us to recognise the injustices of our past‚ honour those who suffered for justice and freedom in our land‚ and heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values‚ social justice and fundamental human rights for all.” – TMG Digital
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