Is same-sex marriage legal in South Africa?
Marriage legal
Same-sex marriage is legally performed and recognized.
South Africa is one of 56 countries classified “Marriage legal” for same-sex marriage — 36% of the 154 with data. (Also searched as gay marriage.)
Source
- Last checked
- 17 September 2026
- How it was classified
- Read directly from the source’s own table, without interpretation.
Nearby countries
- Namibia
- Not recognized Namibia recognizes foreign same-sex marriages but does not perform them domestically.
- Zimbabwe
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition, and marriage is constitutionally or statutorily barred.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition, and marriage is constitutionally or statutorily barred.
- Burundi
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition, and marriage is constitutionally or statutorily barred.
- Rwanda
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition, and marriage is constitutionally or statutorily barred.
- Uganda
- Not recognized Same-sex unions have no legal recognition, and marriage is constitutionally or statutorily barred.
Other laws in South Africa
- Same-Sex Activity
- Legal
- Age of Consent
- 16–17
- Sex Work
- Illegal
- Pornography
- Restricted
- Divorce
- Heavily restricted
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Joint adoption legal
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+
Every law in South Africa → · Where is same-sex marriage legal? →
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.