South Africa's Sunday Sun deserves a round of apologize for most lackluster apology.

An ombudsman ruled last week that the paper must issue a statement on an article penned by Jon Qwelane, who praised Zimbabwe's campaign against gays.

While the Sun did make mention yesterday, some say it's not enough:

In the August 3 edition of the newspaper Deon Du Plessis wrote about Press Ombudsman Joe Thloloe’s ruling that the Sunday Sun broke portions of the Press Code in publishing the homophobic article and must apologise.

While Du Plessis said in the apology letter, “…I’m sorry that we sinned against the code… And I regret that the uproar clearly hurt some people’s feelings. That is not our mission,” he did not actually apologize for publishing the article.

Du Plessis also added that he believed the column actually had a positive result, suggesting that it played a role in “reducing the angry confrontations of the past, and turning them into debates instead.”

He further emphasized the ombudsman’s decision that while the column denigrated homosexuals, it did not equate to hate speech and did not incite violence against homosexuals.

Sure, Qwelane didn't instruct anyone to go out and beat a gay, but his approval of Robert Mugabe's tactics definitely count as "denigration."

South African newspaper The Sunday Sun must print an apology after publishing an inflammatory article by journo Jon Qwelane.

Qwelane caused a stir earlier this month after writing that while he doesn't approve of Robert Mugabe's insanity, he does appreciate the Zimbabwe President's anti-gay politics. Homo activists were not impressed and promptly organized a protest.

After hearing activist calls for media justice, press ombudsman Joe Tholoe ruled yesterday that while Qwelane didn't necessarily incite homophobic hate, he did cross the line:

There is nothing in the column that incites hatred and calls for the harming of homosexuals.

Columnists are protected by the constitution for as long as their comments don't propagate war, incite imminent violence, or advocate hatred that constitutes incitement to cause harm.

Qwelane was well within the law but fell foul of the Press Code.

Yeah, real foul…

South African homos are preparing to protest outside the Sunday Sun's offices after the paper published a "shocking homophobic article" penned by Jon Qwelane:

Qwelane wrote that: "There could be a few things [about which] I could take issue with Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, but his unflinching and unapologetic stance over homosexuals is definitely not among those."

He added that he could only pray that politicians would one day have "the balls" to scrap the sections in the Constitution that sanctioned gay and lesbian marriages.

Ah, yes - and, while they at it, why not reinstate apartheid…

Talk about a rude flip-flop!

South African lesbian couple Carole van der Berg and Helen Ross had planned on using an East London resort to hold their long-awaited nuptials.

Hoping to get things going, the ladies traveled to the resort, Country Style Catering and Venue, to discuss menu, seating and all the other logistics. Staff welcomed them with open arms, but were later told that the venue's owner disapproved on religious beliefs.

Needless to say, the women aren't happy…

CONTINUED »

Of Africa's 53 nations, 38 outlaw homosexuality. That's nearly 72% of the continent.

As gay rights movements rise across the various nations, the editors of To Have and to Hold: The Making of Same-Sex Marriage in South Africa chatted with a number of activists to explore their respective nation's gay progress. One of questions posed ponders the possibility of reform. Here's a taste of the responses:

David Kato (Uganda): If we begin asking for marriage now our mission will backfire. They will think we’re just looking for sex. What we need is to be tolerated and to have the same rights as other people … to break down discriminatory laws.

Linda Baumann (Namibia): One of the challenges that we face is that people are afraid to be seen. You can count on your hands the strong gay activists in Namibia who are out and proud and able to speak.

Naome Ruzindana (Rwanda): Rwanda is a sensitive country. This is true even of the human rights defenders who are there. They fear the government and they have not helped us at all. Is there potential for these kinds of changes in Rwanda? Maybe in 10 years!

And even that would be a miracle…

South African social conservatives aren't big on the follow-through. After about 400 people made a stink last week about small town Knysna's forthcoming gay pride parade, not one protester showed up. The gays, meanwhile, mostly followed the bum cover rule:

Event co-ordinator Juan Lerm had promised Mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies that paraders would cover up.

There were lots of muscled torsos, but only one pair of cutout trousers (baring a rear set of tattooed cheeks) slipped the attentions of Pink Police marshals.

Local resident Lance Arundel, who previously marched as Archbishop of the Moon, came as Mr Bean this year. Modestly dressed in suit and tie, Arundel was enthroned on a sofa strapped to the roof of a Toyota, and waved to spectators while clutching steering wheel, mop and teddy bear.

Asked how he felt about being told to cover up he replied: "It's the law now and I think it's wholly appropriate."

We seriously doubt New York queens would be so accommodating.

Knysna's gays better keep a belt handy. Officials in the small South African town are deploying "pink police" to monitor this weekend's gay pride parade, where nudity has apparently been an issue in the past. And organizers are blaming religious leaders:

Event co-ordinator Juan Lerm said Pink Police marshalls would clamp down on nudity. An 80-year-old man who has exposed his rear each year - last year he was archbishop of the moon - is to be asked to cover up.

Lerm said the campaign against the Pink Loerie was being orchestrated by the same religious group as in previous years.

"I have great respect for religious views, but can't cope with hate speech and blackmail. Let's have mutual respect."

One pastor, Jerome Nel, took another angle against the march: he and about 400 other people asked the town's mayor to draw up a referendum and let the people vote on whether or not the flaming festivities should continues. Despite his opposition, Nel insists he has nothing against the gay folk. He just doesn't want to see them parading down his streets. What a saint, right?

Some gays have a flair for the dramatic, but South African pals Ben Dlamini and Lethuxolo Mafunisa deserve special recognition.

You see, Dlamini, an "ex-gay" pastor, loves his gay friend Mafunisa, but simply can't cope when his homo ways under his holy roof. So, using his religion as a shield, Dlamini gave him the boot. Said Dlamini:

No homosexuality in my house, I am a pastor. I was once gay and proud of it and lived that lifestyle to the fullest. I have turned my back on that and I am now a priest serving God only. My house serves as a church too.

I have a congregation who knows that I am no longer gay and have given my life to God. What will my parish think when they hear that a gay couple live in my house.

Mafunisa's boyfriend, meanwhile, calls "bullshit" on Dlamini: “I don’t know when he became straight because the whole congregation is gay!" Girl, there's some shady shit going on.