By ZELDA VENTER

Pretoria - In a victory for people in same-sex relationships and who are members of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on Friday morning overturned the church’s decision not to recognise same-sex unions within the church.

A full bench, lead by Judge Joseph Raulinga, overturned the decision on same-sex relationships adopted during the extraordinary meeting of the General Synod of the church in November 206. During this sitting, the church went back on its earlier stance of allowing same-sex unions.

The church made headlines when it in 2015 announced that its various congregations could decide for themselves if they wanted to give their blessing to same-sex unions. A year later, following a lot of pressure from some of its members, it announced that a gay or lesbian person can only be a minister if he or she is celibate. Ministers were also no longer able to solemnise same-sex civil unions.

The court handed down a 56-page judgment, which Judge Raulinga jokingly remarked when handed down, that it “makes good reading.” The practical effect of the order is that the Dutch Reformed church will be able to conduct same-sex marriages once they have obtained a licence from Home Affairs in this regard. Read more via IOL