Loss of Citizenship

A South African citizen shall cease to be a South African citizen if:

• He or she, whilst not being a minor, by some voluntary and formal act other than marriage (usually by way of naturalization but by any other means the Department of Home Affairs considers to fall within the interpretive scope of such Act), other than by marriage, acquires the citizenship or nationality of another country;
• He or she in terms of the laws of any other country also has the citizenship or nationality of that country and serves in the armed forces of such country while that country is at war with South Africa;
• Any person who obtains South African citizenship by naturalization shall cease to be a South African citizen if he or she engages, under the flag of another country, in a war that South Africa does not officially support.

Prior to obtaining the citizenship or nationality of another country, or before serving in the armed forces of another country in respect of which a person has citizenship, an application may be made to the Department of Home Affairs to retain his or her South African citizenship, and the Minister may, if he or she deems fit, grant that person the right to retain South African citizenship.