Pastor Oscar Bougardt Vows to Block “Abomination” Cape Town WorldPride

Cape Town’s most virulently homophobic pastor, Oscar Bougardt, is back in the spotlight, lashing out at news that the city will host WorldPride in 2028.

The International Association of Pride Organisers (InterPride) recently announced that Cape Town Pride’s bid to host WorldPride was successful, sparking excitement across the LGBTIQ+ community in the country.

This will make Cape Town the first African city to host the massive international event, providing an opportunity to amplify LGBTIQ+ visibility in both the city and the region.

Despite a previous conviction for homophobic hate speech and narrowly avoiding jail time, the InterPride announcement proved too triggering for Bougardt to remain silent.

The head of Calvary Hope Baptist Ministry in Delft vowed in an interview with the Son newspaper to mobilise churches and the faithful to ensure the event does not go ahead.

“The WorldPride is an abomination to all of us who are God-fearing people,” Bougardt declared. He also accused the city’s government of “secretly” supporting the event without public consultation.

“There was no public participation process to listen to how the rest of the Capetonians feel about this,” Bougardt complained.

He reiterated his opposition, on Facebook, posting: “I pray more church leaders will stand up against the planned WorldPride 2028. Because some people agree with the WorldPride being hosted in Cape Town doesn’t make it right. Church leaders and parents, this is the time to unite and tell the City of Cape Town and LGBTQ+ organisations we are disgusted at the planned event.”

Bougardt Risks Being Jailed

In August 2023, the Western Cape Division of the Equality Court sentenced Oscar Bougardt to nine months in prison, suspended for five years, for violating a 2014 court order to stop making anti-LGBTIQ+ comments, as well as a subsequent 2018 suspended sentence.

According to the 2023 ruling, Bougardt could face jail time if he should:

“…directly or indirectly publish, post, disseminate, comment on or share, on any social media platform, digital forum or interactive website (including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter (X), TikTok or YouTube) any statements concerning sexual orientation or any other prohibited grounds defined as such in the definition of ‘prohibited grounds’ under section 1(1) (a) and (b) of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000.”

The Weekend Argus reported that Bougardt’s opposition to WorldPride Cape Town 2028 is shared by several other religious and faith-based groups, including the anti-LGBTIQ+ lobby group FOR SA and the Cape Town Ulama Board. Both organisations view the event as an attempt to impose so-called “woke” political and ideological agendas on the public.

OUT LGBT Well-being’s Response

Sibonelo Ncanana, Civil Society Engagement Officer for OUT LGBT Well-being dismissed the “woke” rhetoric, asserting: “This word or concept has unfortunately been weaponised as a pejorative buzzword to attack efforts to promote inclusivity, justice and equality, ideals that we fully and unapologetically support.”

Ncanana continued: “Celebrating Pride is about creating visibility for a community that has historically been marginalised—not about forcing anyone to conform to a specific personal viewpoint or to participate. What we won’t do is stay invisible and hidden because it makes some uncomfortable, or stay silent when our human rights are being violated.”

Cape Town Pride on WorldPride Criticism

In a statement, Evan Tsouroulis, the Marketing & Parade Coordinator for Cape Town Pride, decried “the rampant ignorance and homophobia from some quarters accompanying the announcement that Cape Town Pride has won the bid to host World Pride.”

He said that this illustrates the continued need for Pride events that celebrate a community that continues to face prejudice, violence, stigma and rejection.

“On a continent where many LGBTQI+ citizens face ostracism, imprisonment, torture and even death under colonial-era laws just for being who they are, the fact that World Pride is coming to Africa is highly significant,” added Tsouroulis.