Home Affairs supports petition against homophobic pastor

Pretoria – The Department of Home Affairs has expressed support for the online petition meant to stop American anti-gay pastor Steven Anderson from coming to South Africa.

However the department says it may not have the power to deny him the visa.

The petition‚ which had already gained over 2 000 signatures by Thursday morning and has since grown to 5 000‚ is meant to lobby Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba to deny Anderson entry on the grounds that he may be coming to SA to “promote hate speech”.

“We fully support the online petition. We will take it to the Human Rights Commission,” Home Affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete told City Press.

However, he said that it may prove difficult to stop the pastor from coming to SA because the comments he allegedly made were not stated on South African soil.

“If someone from another country says something whilst not in the country we have no power to stop them from coming,” he said.

Source