South African political party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has criticized the government for not condemning Uganda’s anti-homosexual law.
The Ugandan parliament passed a law earlier this year, which will criminalize individuals identifying as LGBTQIA. and has been condemned by many countries and organizations worldwide, including the United Nations, which called it “egregious”.
At the DA’s federal congress in Midrand, the party’s openly gay leaders called on the government to show solidarity with the gay community in Uganda and across the world.
Chris Pappas, South Africa’s only openly gay mayor, said that the country’s constitution, which prohibits discrimination against anyone based on their sexuality, should be consistent with its foreign policy stance.
Martin Meyer, a DA member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, expressed disappointment that the government’s quiet diplomacy on the Ugandan bill is a betrayal to the country’s queer community.
While many countries and organizations have condemned the law, South Africa’s quiet diplomacy remains vague on the issue.