Same-sex marriage passes last hurdle

The NCOP committee voted today for an unamended version of the Civil Union Bill despite vociferous objections from religious groups. This just goes to show that the "compromise" of creating two marriage acts did not appease religious groups.

Why then compromise? Why not amend the Marriage Act and get it over with?

I suspect it has more to do with the politics within the ANC than with any attempt to appease religious groups. A separate act may have made it more palatable for ANC MPs to vote for the Bill. It gives them something to defend back home.