The Restoration of South African Citizenship Act No 73 of 1986 (commenced 1 July) gave South African citizenship to TBVC (Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda and Ciskei) citizens who were born in South Africa prior to the granting of their homeland's independence, or who had resided in South Africa permanently.
It was not applicable to those TBVC citizens who were in South Africa temporarily seeking employment, studying, or visiting, or indeed to those who had permanent homes in the TBVC areas - they legally remained aliens in South Africa - they were not actually subject to removal, but only due to a lack of official action.
Restoration of citizenship rights was extended to around 1 750 000 people in total, approximately eight or none million were still technically aliens.
Reformed by the Restoration and Extension of South Africa Citizenship Act No 196 of 1993.
