×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

ANC takes on venue owner that refused gay couple

Alexandra Thorne and her American fiancée Alex Lu
Alexandra Thorne and her American fiancée Alex Lu

The ANC in the Western Cape will lodge a complaint against the owners of a wedding venue who turned a couple away because they are in a same-sex relationship.

ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs will approach the South African Human Rights Commission on Monday.

“Mr Jacbos will also reiterate the call for a boycott of Beloftebos and other businesses that continue to discriminate against others‚” a statement read.

Jacobs was following the actions of constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos‚ who last week wrote to the SAHRC asking them to investigate the matter.

De Vos also sent an e-mail to Beloftebos in which he explained that the company could be brought before the Equality Court and forced to pay a fine.

On Friday Beloftebos issued a statement on their website defending their decision not to host same-sex marriages as a “foundational part of our faith as Christians”.

“This belief in turn guides our venue’s policy. It is our conscience before God which prohibits us from hosting any other kind of ‘marriage’ on our property‚” they said.

The venue owners believed that to host a same-sex marriage would dishonour and disobey god – “potentially with eternal consequences”.

Early last week it emerged that marketing manager Alexandra Thorne and her American fiancée Alex Lu were told they could not host their nuptials at the Stanford farm venue just two hours outside Cape Town‚ after Thorne enquired about an available date in October next year.

Thorne told TimesLIVE that she was “saddened and disappointed”.

The incident has sparked widespread outcry on social media. And many have come out in support of Thorne and Lu.

Thorne said she was “glad” that the issue had been taken further.

“Based on the response from the [Facebook] post‚ it seems there are more people concerned with upholding our basic human rights than there are people hoping to tear it down‚ so that’s positive‚” said Thorne.

“The outpouring of support has been overwhelming‚”

Thorne and Lu have since received at least seven offers from other venues to host their wedding and “a number of other services”.

 

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.