Tier 2 · Accepted in the cities#12 in tier 2
South Africa
Marriage since 2006; constitutional protection.
- Same-sex activity
- Legal
- Recognition
- Same-sex marriage
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Confidence
- High
- Reviewed
- September 2026
Acceptance
Pew 2019: 54%, up from 32% in 2013; high violence in townships.
Travel advice
Go, and stay in the cities and beach towns on our list. Read the room once you leave them.
Where the boys go
Cape Town.
Method
Tiered on the legal status and social acceptance of gay men and LGB people using ILGA World, the ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Human Dignity Trust, the Williams Institute, Pew, the Spartacus Gay Travel Index, Equaldex and court rulings. Where two tiers are plausible we choose the more cautious one. How we tier. Last reviewed September 2026.