Clergy's anger at gay marriage law

The bill was pushed through the National Assembly by the ruling African National Congress amid protests by religious groups and opposition parties in a region where homosexuality remains largely taboo.

The cabinet approved the bill in August after the country's highest court ruled it was unconstitutional to deny gay people the right to marry.

The court gave parliament until 1 December to change the law. The Civil Union Bill, which gives same-sex couples the same rights as heterosexual ones, still needs approval by the second house of parliament. However, it is expected to come into effect by the end of November.

When enacted, South Africa will accord homosexual couples over the age of 18 the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts, following countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Canada.

"When we attained our democracy, we sought to distinguish ourselves from an unjust painful past, by declaring that never again shall it be that any South African will be discriminated against on the basis of colour, creed, culture and sex," Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, the home affairs minister, told parliament.

Yesterday, Lindiwe Radebe and Bathini Dambuza welcomed the news. Engaged for a year, they now want to take their relationship to the next step.

The couple from Soweto hope to be among the first gay people to take advantage of the new law. "I can't wait," said Ms Radebe, 25, an activist with the Forum for the Empowerment of Women, which supports black lesbians.

Ms Dambuza, 22, a tour guide, wears an engagement ring that Ms Radebe gave her about a year after they met.

Getting married will change their lives, they said. "For some people marriage means nothing, it is just a piece of paper. But we want that symbolism of having a legally binding document of our love," said Ms Radebe.

The couple are keen to have children and hope that by getting married it will be easier to adopt or become parents.