The Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, has, by the power vested in terms of Section 13(3)(a)(i) of the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (Act No. 88 of 1995), allowed Mr Kamohelo Mokotjo to resume his former South African citizenship.

The Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, has, by the power vested in terms of Section 13(3)(a)(i) of the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (Act No. 88 of 1995), allowed Mr Kamohelo Mokotjo to resume his former South African citizenship. Mokotjo acquired Dutch citizenship in December 2016 and automatically lost his South African citizenship. The Minister approved the application after carefully applying his mind to a motivation submitted before him by the applicant stating the reasons for the request.

According to the Act, a South African shall cease to be a citizen if “he or she, whilst not being a minor, by some voluntary and formal act other than marriage, acquires the citizenship or nationality of a country other than the Republic”. The Act further stipulates that the Minister may, upon receipt of such an application, allow the applicant to resume his former South African citizenship if he is satisfied with the facts presented before him.


Note to editors:

In case a person has lost his foreign nationality e.g. the South African nationality due to acquiring Dutch nationality and wishes to re-acquire the foreign nationality, the following should be taken into consideration. According to Dutch nationality law, as stipulated in art. 15, para. 1, sub. a, under the “Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap”, the Dutch nationality will automatically be lost in case an adult, meaning older than 18 years (re) acquires voluntarily another nationality e.g. the South African nationality, unless:

A. before reaching the age of 18 years, this person has had formal residence for a consecutive period of at least five years, prior to reaching the age of 18 years, in the country of which he (re) acquires the nationality.

B. the person was born in the country of the other nationality and lives in that country at the moment the other nationality is acquired.

C. the person is married to someone who has the other nationality of the specific country.


For media enquiries contact Thabo Mokgola on 0609624982 or Mayihlome Tshwete on 0728692477

ISSUED BY SAFA ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS