SA bans Botswana-bound homophobic American pastor
Mpho Mokwape | Wednesday September 14, 2016 16:08
The SA minister of home affairs Malusi Gigaba yesterday in Parliament announced that the pastor has been denied entry on the basis of hate speech.
In what was described as victory for the LGBT community, Gigaba said Anderson was denied entry in terms of the Immigration Act having made repeated undesirable remarks about everything. He explained that Anderson and his people are undesirable people who should not be allowed to continue with their hate speech.
“Pastor Anderson is prohibited from entering the country. Him and his crew are barred from practising hate speech, racial hatred and social violence here”. Gigaba further said Anderson was not just a homophobe but he was also a holocaust denialist who was anti human, and hates all humanity especially Africans and women.
The controversial Anderson of the Faithful Word Baptist Church was expected to make a trip to SA and later here. Anderson, who has made numerous anti-gay remarks and also infamous for having pulpit meltdowns, is expected to launch his ministry together with evangelist Garret Kirchway on September 25.
Here the Lesbian, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) have also moved swiftly to block the pastor’s entry into the country with fear that he is bringing tainted messages. The community intends to meet the minister of Labour and Home Affairs Edwin Batshu on Thursday to petition Anderson’s entry into the country.
LEGABIBO representative, Bradley Fortuin told Mmegi that the petition would be delivered as a way of fighting to block Anderson and his people. He said they have been at work engaging with relevant authorities to map a way forward. “The petition will be delivered, but I hope our country will take leaf from our neighbour and do the honourable thing not to allow him entry into the country,” he said.
LEGABIBO felt the pastor has no respect for humanity and his messages go against the country’s democratic ideals and that he should not be allowed to come into the country to spread hatred, homophobia, violence and sexism.
The SA gay community has also pledged their support to LEGABIBO in their quest to block Anderson’s entry.
Batshu, has however, downplayed the issue saying he had heard about the pastor but did not divulge what they intended to do with his entry into the country
He said he has so far not engaged with the LEGABIBO and that he was not even aware about the petition to block the pastor.
“I have not met them and they have not made any appointment with me. But if they come I will engage with them,” he said.
Meanwhile after being banned from entering SA yesterday, Anderson immediately released a statement saying he still has a wide open door in Botswana.
Part of his statement reads; “I feel sorry for people who live in South Africa, but thank God we still have a wide open door in Botswana. Stand by for reports of MULTITUDES saved in Botswana, where religious freedom still exists”.