Same-sex marriages put on hold
By Leila Samodien and Wendy Jasson da Costa
© 2006 Independent Online

Gay marriages were officially legalised on Thursday but same-sex couples will have to wait until next year before they can exchange vows.

Wednesday's signing of the Civil Union Bill stirred up great hype about a possible rush to home affairs by homosexual couples wanting to be married.

But home affairs have had to disappoint those wanting to tie the knot this week because most of their offices are booked up for the next three months.

'People have to book if they want to get married'

The Mitchell's Plain office's earliest opening is in January, but couples seeking to marry at the Wynberg, Cape Town, Bellville and Nyanga offices will have to wait until March.

Couples to be married by religious institutions and independent marriage officers will avoid the backlog...