There are a few things to watch out for:
Don't use the term "conversion", I think you need a "validation" from what you've described - in other words, your current licence, ratings, and medical will be recognised. If you confuse them by asking for a conversion, that's what you may end up with, and not only is it harder, you'd need a SA medical. I can't see any reason for you wanting more than a 'validation'.
Basically for a validation you will need to do (ground) SA Air Law and a flight test which will often include Nav (but doesn't have to, depends on your history and experience).
If you go for any formal purpose - and that includes even if you declare you are hours building, OR if you want a year's validaton rather than a vacation's worth (3 months), OR if you go to a club that hasn't done enough research, you will be required to do a modern version of the Air Law exam (computerised, SA PPL style). This formal Air Law exam is not all that 'fit for purpose' for visitors as it really is over the top, as it will be testing you on things you'd need to know if you had a SA PPL, and you won't be getting one of those.
As long as you only want a validation for 3 months, and you have no formal objective, the SA CAA approves you doing a locally set air law paper relevant to your situation. The trouble is that as the more difficult version of Air Law 'works' for the shorter validations, so a number of clubs haven't found out that it can be substituted in certain cases, and they (the clubs, not the SA CAA) force visiting pilots through the harder version whatever.
You'll only be allowed to fly aircraft you've already got in your log book. They simply do not understand our UK CAA would have no problem with you being shown a new SEP (non complex) model or even type (in the sense of it still being SEP, not a new 'type rating') by a SA instructor, and you won't convince them, so don't waste your breathe, just make sure you have whatever you are renting in your log book already.
As already stated, you can get all the paperwork done before you arrive, subject only to you passing air law and the flight test as soon as you arrive, and the paperwork becomes instantly valid without referring back to the SA CAA, as they issued it subject to the other bits being done before you use it. Again, a number of clubs don't realise this, so you can have a long wait after arrival before you are legal.
ps: AND - make sure nothing will expire during the period of your intended flying dates there - you will only get a validation to the date of the next 'thing' that expires - AND make sure your UK/JAA licence has the new English Proficiency statement on it. You have to pay our UK CAA to release your details anyway to the SA CAA when they ask, but they won't even bother asking if your licence doesn't seem 'right' to start with.
Last edited by Irv; 19th Jul 2009 at 17:44.