http://www.stva.zh.ch/internet/ds/st...aw_auslfa.html

Here's the info you need - except that it is all in German

Bottom line: As a South African you'll need to do a test drive, which must be done within 3 months of your application to change over. Your SA license will be valid for 12 months from the date of your entry in CH, but not after this date.

You'll find the application form for the changeover at the above link. A small tip - you'll be required to have your eyes tested. Fair enough you say... Except that it won't be done at the strassenverkehrsamt! They will make you go off to an optomitrist who will give you the most complex eye test you've ever seen. AFter this, since your licence is valid for the rest of your life you'll never be required to do a test again. So when you are 80 years old and as blind as a bat the strassenverkehrsamt won't want to know... So a good idea is to print the form yourself and get it stamped for the eye test (valid for 2 years) before you hand in your application - it will save you two visits!

As for this reporting yourself to the strassenverkehramt within 7 days - I don't think this is correct. Swiss licenses don't have your address recorded on them, making them kind of useless as an ID document in many situations. If you owned a car you'd have to inform them about it so they could charge you to alter all their silly bits of paper, but I presume you don't own a car.

My advice - wait until your year is almost up, then do this. You might want to enquire as to how long one must normally wait for the test drive.

Hope that helps.
Mark