Was this Limpopo’s “first gay wedding”?

The Sowetan has covered, what it’s called, “Limpopo’s gay wedding drama.”

On Monday, the newspaper reported, in a front page article, on Given Vhuromo and Nthabiseng Sello Rachoene’s wedding on the weekend.

It said the celebration was “believed to be Limpopo’s first gay white wedding ceremony.”

However, as same-sex marriage has been legal for a decade in South Africa, it seems unlikely that it was the first in the province.

The Sowetan’s Zoë Mahopo wrote that Rachoene “identifies as a lady” and that the newlywed “danced down the isle [sic] in a puffy white wedding dress and bouquet of pink roses.” It wasn’t made clear in the piece, however, if Rachoene also identifies as transgender.

The event was marred by the failure of the booked pastor to turn up for the ceremony, which apparently had to be officiated by a friend.

Rachoene’s mother commented that the marriage had been opposed by some members of the family but that she was happy for her child, stating, “This is the gift God has given me. I have accepted it.”

Rachoene added: “We have led the way. More weddings like this will follow.”

The wedding and the “drama” leading up to it will be featured in an upcoming episode of the television show Our Perfect Wedding on the Mzansi Magic DSTV channel.

In August, transgender community organisation Gender DynamiX slammed the Sowetan after its article on the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) welcoming transgender women in its ranks was incorrectly titled “Gays can join ANC Women’s League”.