US pastor banned in South Africa over anti-gay views

The South African government has placed a ban on US pastor Steven Anderson after he notoriously welcomed the gunning down in June of 50 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida by saying “there are 50 less paedophiles in this world”.

Home Affairs minister Malusi Gigaba told a media briefing he was banning Anderson indefinitely, citing anti-discrimination laws designed to “prevent and prohibit hate speech”.

Read also: Man sentenced to death for masturbating while reading Quran

Gigaba also on Tuesday equated Anderson’s (the pastor of the Faithful Word Baptist Church in Arizona, USA) comments when he said “there are 50 less paedophiles in this world” after the gay nightclub attack in Orlando, Florida as a hate speech.

South African gay and lesbian groups collected more than 60,000 signatures opposing Anderson’s visit this weekend, when he was expected to preach and seek converts to his church.

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