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Golden promise for SA gay wedding
BBC News
December 01, 2006

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6198762.stm

A lesbian couple from Soweto, South Africa

A jewellers wants to give the first gay couple to marry in South Africa 20,000 rand ($2,800) worth of jewellery.

Uwe Koetter Jewellers in Cape Town says it will present the "handcrafted and designed wedding bands" at the couples' wedding ceremony in person.

New legislation takes effect from Friday, allowing same-sex couples to get married. The law was changed following a court ruling last year.

South Africa becomes the first African country where gay people can wed.

"In order to qualify... we need documents that prove where the venue is and who is officiating. We will present the bands in person at the wedding ceremony itself," said head jewellery designer Johan Louw, South African Press Association reports.

Other businesses are hoping to make money in the rush for so-called "pink weddings".

The Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria says it is going to offer tailor-made wedding services to same-sex couples and has employed its own on-site gay wedding co-ordinator to liaise with same-sex fiances.

"Obviously there will be a few things that will be different from your so-called traditional weddings," the Sheraton's media spokesperson Willie Williams told The Star newspaper.

"You will see two miniature brides or two little grooms on the wedding cake, and that kind of thing," he said.

The law was approved by MPs two weeks ago despite objections from religious groups and traditional leaders.

The Constitutional Court ruled last year that the existing laws discriminated against homosexuals.

The ruling was based on the constitution, which was the first in the world specifically to outlaw discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

This is unusual in Africa where homosexuality is largely taboo - notably in its neighbour Zimbabwe.

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