Activists, diplomats and LGBTQ+ leaders gathered at the offices of The Other Foundation in Johannesburg on Monday to reflect on two decades of marriage equality in South Africa and the work that still lies ahead.
The event was attended by former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, who signed the Civil Union Bill into law in 2006 (standing in for then-President Thabo Mbeki). Former Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron and Anne Beathe Kristiansen, Norwegian Ambassador, were also in attendance.
Part reflection, part strategy session, the gathering included a panel discussion on both the progress made in advancing LGBTQ+ rights across South Africa and the continent, and the growing global backlash against queer and gender rights.
Growing Public Support for Marriage Equality
Opening the discussion, Neville Gabriel, The Other Foundation CEO, reflected on the significance of the moment and the impact marriage equality has had since the Civil Unions Act became law.
“We found that, from 2006 to 2016, there was a 10% increase in support for marriage equality amongst the South African population,” said Gabriel. “This year, 10 years on, we’ve just concluded research with the Human Sciences Research Council… It shows a further 8% increase in support for marriage equality amongst the South African and African population.”
Gabriel also highlighted broader gains across the continent.
“Of the 13 countries that we work in, nine no longer criminalise homosexuality, whereas at that time it was one,” he said, pointing to ongoing legal and social progress in Botswana, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Lesotho.
At the same time, Gabriel warned that LGBTQ+ organisations are increasingly facing coordinated anti-rights campaigns driven by conservative political and religious movements.
“We’re seeing a strong push against this progress,” he said. “It’s in that context that your visit is empowering for us. It reminds us that consistent struggle with support from people who lead us is crucially important.”
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka on Faith, Politics and Equality
For Mlambo-Ngcuka, the discussion offered an opportunity to revisit a defining political moment in post-apartheid South Africa. Reflecting on the signing of the Civil Union Act in November 2006, she described the tensions that surrounded the legislation at the time, particularly from religious sectors.
“There was a lot of appetite for change amongst South Africans,” she said. “But it was not lost to me the fact that certain religious views ran deep. It was one of those moments where you had to really be loyal to your own convictions.”
She recalled receiving criticism from church leaders over her support for same-sex unions, including a conversation with her Catholic archbishop.
“I said, yes, Archbishop, I understand that we’re all made in the image of God,” she said. “Neither have I seen anywhere where it says some people are not.”
While she acknowledged that attitudes have shifted significantly since then, Mlambo-Ngcuka stressed that the current international climate remains deeply concerning.
“It is now a bit more complex because of the Trump attitude,” she said. “That attitude has allowed a lot of haters in the closet to come out. And that is now the most difficult situation.”
Drawing from her experience as former Executive Director of UN Women, Mlambo-Ngcuka spoke about how gender identity and sexual orientation often became flashpoints in international negotiations.
“You can’t be a real feminist and be racist, be a real feminist and be ageist, be a real feminist and be homophobic,” she said. “You have to be able to carry all of these issues.”
Edwin Cameron Warns Against Complacency
Cameron, who played a pivotal role in South Africa’s constitutional journey toward LGBTQ+ equality, reflected on the combination of activism, legal protections and political leadership that made progress possible.
“There are three aspects to success,” he said. “One is activism. The second is the rule of law. And then third is principled leadership.”
He praised both activists and political leaders who stood firm during the passage of the Civil Unions Act, noting that South Africa’s constitutional protections did not happen in isolation.
“The Equality Clause came from activism,” Cameron said. “Activism also prepared the ground for people like me.”
But he warned against complacency as queer communities across Africa continue to face criminalisation and violence.
“We cannot rest here,” Cameron said. “We cannot sit here with any comfort or self-satisfaction while across the rest of the continent terrible things are happening.”
“As we sit here, there are queer people being humiliated, stigmatised, arrested, assaulted, even murdered,” he added. “So, I see an imperative call to reach out.”
South Africa’s Role Amid Global LGBTQ+ Backlash
Kristiansen echoed many of those concerns, framing the backlash against LGBTQ+ rights as part of a broader global attack on democratic freedoms.
“This pushback against gay rights and women’s rights is part of a much wider push against democracy,” she said. “These are well-organised, well-financed people globally that have ganged up to try to take back what we have achieved as our rights.”
The ambassador reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ and gender rights internationally, particularly at a time when many governments are retreating from previously established protections.
“We need to step up,” Kristiansen said. “Some of us have to dare.”
She also noted South Africa’s important leadership role on the continent.
“South Africa is really, really well-positioned to make a difference,” she said. “We know that there are people suffering extreme hardships because of who they are in neighbouring countries.”
A Reminder That the Fight for Equality Continues
Throughout the discussion, there was a strong sense of intergenerational connection in the room, with veteran activists sharing space with younger organisers and advocates continuing the work today.
There were moments of laughter, personal reflection and political honesty, but also a recognition that queer liberation has always been tied to broader struggles for dignity, democracy and equality.
For many attendees, the gathering was not simply about commemorating a legal milestone. It was also about reaffirming community and solidarity during a time of renewed global hostility toward LGBTQ+ people.
Nearly 20 years after the Civil Unions Act became law, the message from the room was clear: progress is possible, but protecting it requires continued courage, organising and collective care.
