Skip to main content
Menu
♥ Donate
eventREF E-0013698Revised

Event record

On 14 November 2006, parliament approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provided for same-sex marriage

Date
14 Nov 2006
Updated
30 Sep 2019
On 14 November 2006, parliament approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provided for same-sex marriage

On 14 November 2006, parliament approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provided for same-sex marriage, making South Africa the first African country to do so and one of only a few in the world at the time. MPs from the African National Congress were required to support the bill, which was passed by the National Assembly 230 to 41. The measure was opposed by almost all opposition parties except the Democratic Alliance. The DA allowed its members a free vote on the issue. The acceptance of the bill was denounced by other African countries. The bill provided for opposite-sex and same-sex couples of 18 years or older to register a voluntary union, either by marriage or civil partnership. Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka signed the bill into law on 30 November 2006. The first couple to wed, Vernon Gibbs and Tony Halls, did so in George, Western Cape, the following day, 1 December 2006

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?
View more events from this day

How we know this

  1. 01Wyndham Hartley,' Civil Unions Bill changed to ease passage ', from sacp, [online] Available at www.sacp.org.za[Accessed : 14 November 2013]
  2. 02Religioustolerance,' Same-sex marriage and civil unions ', from religioustolerance, [online] Available at www.religioustolerance.org[Accessed : 14 November 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). On 14 November 2006, parliament approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provided for same-sex marriage. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013698

South African History Online (2011) 'On 14 November 2006, parliament approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provided for same-sex marriage', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013698 (Accessed: 7 August 2026).

South African History Online, On 14 November 2006, parliament approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provided for same-sex marriage [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013698, (accessed 7 August 2026).

"On 14 November 2006, parliament approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provided for same-sex marriage." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013698. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "On 14 November 2006, parliament approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provided for same-sex marriage." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013698.

Further reading

Mooivallei, Dairy Farm Place

Mooivallei, Dairy Farm

Mooivallei, meaning “beautiful valley”, is named after the picturesque town of Bonnievale – a place synonymous...
Popular Content

SAHO is free because readers fund it. Donate →