Visa to enter SA

[sammylou]

I apologise that this isn't an Australia based question - I'm in the UK, but I can't find a similar forum for the UK and thought that someone on here would probably know the answer.

I'm a dual SA/UK citizen (SA born to British parents), I've lived in the UK for the last 18 years (since I was 12). I'm currently in the process of joining the British army reserves but I've been reading about a South African 'mercenary' law that means that as a South African citizen I can't serve for another countries armed services. The easiest way I can see to get round this is to renounce my South African citizenship - I can't see a day when I might go back there to live and even if I did from what I read renouncing my citizenship doesn't remove my right to permanent residence.

The thing I'm not too sure of, though, is if I renounce my citizenship will I still be able to travel to SA on my British passport, my father still lives over there and I would live to take my kids back. My place of birth is a very South African place (Sasolburg) so anyone looking at my British passport can see I was born in SA, will I just be treated as a British citizen or would it cause problems at passport control?

Again sorry that it's not a SA/Australia question but going off previous experience with the 'very knowledgeable and helpful' people at South Africa house in London I figured I might get more help from random people on the internet :-)

Thanks

[Mel-B]

My cousin wanted to join the Italian army (duel citizenship) and got "permission" from SA embassy. Changed plans and didn't go through with it. This was 12 years ago and things might have changed. Before you renounce check more options out.