Same sex marriages in South Africa 2

After much public debate and some invigorating activism by gay and lesbian rights groups, the South African parliament yesterday "approved the controversial Civil Unions Bill, which provides for same-sex marriage, making South Africa the first African country to do so and one of only a few in the world. (...) The bill provides for opposite-sex and same-sex couples of 18 years or older to solemnise and register a voluntary union, either by marriage or civil partnership. (...) Same-sex couples can be married by civil marriage officers and such religious marriage officers who consider these marriages not to fall outside the tenets of their religion" (news24).