I wouldn't want to lay a bet that any modifications made to the airbag, even if only cosmetic, will cause a fail in a roadworthy check. Once you change any part of something that is covered by the ADR you are supposed to get an engineers certificate of compliance otherwise you are in breach of the ADR. All government regulations are complex and open to interpretation - the following suggests that airbags can be removed if they were optional equipment (as were VR-VS)
I just had a quick search and found this at the SA transport site:
Airbag as Standard Equipment
If an airbag system is standard equipment on a particular vehicle model or variant it must be present,
complete and operational. (The airbag is considered essential for maintaining the vehicle’s compliance
with the ADRs.)
Optional Airbag in Vehicle Required to Meet ADR 69/..
If a vehicle was required to meet ADR 69/.. and it was originally fitted with an airbag that was optional
equipment on that particular model or variant, the airbag need not be present, complete or operational
provided the vehicle is fitted with all equipment (eg steering wheel, steering column, seat belts) that would
have been fitted had the vehicle been originally manufactured without the airbag; i.e. the vehicle must be
shown to still comply with the requirements of ADR 69/..
Optional Drivers Airbag in Vehicle Not Required to Meet ADR 69/..
For a vehicle not required to meet ADR 69/.. and originally fitted with a driver’s airbag that was optional
equipment, it need not be present, complete or operational provided the impact energy absorption
characteristics of the steering wheel and steering column are equivalent to those of the non-airbag variant;
i.e. the vehicle must comply with the requirements of ADR 10/..
Optional Passenger Airbag in Vehicle Not Required to meet ADR 69/..
For a vehicle not required to meet ADR 69/.. and originally fitted with a passenger airbag that was optional
equipment, it need not be present, complete or operational
So I dunno.....mine ain't lifting and I'm happy about that!