Unhappiness at mayor’s gay remarks

GEORGE is rolling out the red carpet for the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus from the US, as part of its gay festival.

The only snag is that the mayor of the Southern Cape town made what were regarded as anti-gay remarks ahead of the visit and festivities.

Mayor Melvin Naik, distanced himself from the municipality he is leading for hosting the choir and the festival, raising the ire of his party.

“I have a very important statement due to my Christian conviction. I’m talking in my capacity as mayor of the George municipality, that due to my Christian conviction and belief system, this concert does not carry my approval,” he said during an interview on local Christian radio station Heartbeat FM.

In the same breath he said he meant it without judgment against anyone: “This is only out (of ) my own belief system and Christian conviction,” he said.

The Boston Gay Choir will be visiting George on Tuesday, performing at the Gay Pride Parade in York Street in the morning and a concert in Conville Community Hall at night.

The municipality said this was “themed around a message of acceptance and freedom for people to be who they are – the Gay Pride Parade is expected to host international gay ambassadors and local activists, and is open to anyone who wants to support or participate”.

“It will start at the Victoria Street intersection in York Street at noon and move down to Unity Park, where the choir will sing and the George municipality deputy mayor, Charlotte Clarke, will officially welcome the visitors.”

DA provincial leader Bonginkosi Madikizela condemned Naik’s utterances “in the strongest terms”.

“The federal executive chairperson, James Selfe, will be referring this matter to the party’s federal legal commission for further investigation,” he said.

Madikizela said there was a lot of enthusiasm in the community ahead of the festival.

“No public representative of the DA can make a decision to exclude or discriminate against any member of our society based on his or her personal views,” he said.

Craig Coogan, the executive director of the concert said the event was about the people of George, not the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus.

“We are tremendously excited to have the support of the DA and the George municipality for the concert and we truly hope mayor Naik joins us,” Coogan said.