Gyvel,
Allow me to explain. The British Government provided rifles to all member states of the Commonwealth Empire during WW2 ... they also purpose built and provided No4's on contract to dozens of nations and colonial backwaters - shall I list them all?
South Africa was a part of the British Commonwealth Forces during WW2 and they were indeed contracted rifles directly, upon which they placed their Government Ownership mark.
The British Government did not therefore issue these rifles to themselves first, they sent them directly as contract to South Africa and South Africa then issued the rifles to their Military. No reissue anywhere ... if they were re-issued, you would find another Government Ownership mark on the rifle, barred out or scrubbed, and then the S.A mark placed near it or over it - much like the Inidans did with their own I.P Indian Pattern refurbs.
The rifle is not re-issued, it is just S.A Government ownership marked ... that's the semantics of it.
Tiki.