Service Medal in Gold

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Service Medal in Gold
MK Service Medal in Gold.jpg
TypeMilitary long service medal
Awarded forThirty years exemplary service
Country Flag of the African National Congress.svg Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
Presented bythe President
Eligibility Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres
Campaign(s)The "struggle"
StatusDiscontinued in 2003
Established1996
Ribbon - Service Medal in Gold.png
Ribbon bar
MK 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
MK succession:

The Service Medal in Gold was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, for thirty years exemplary service. [1]

Contents

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in Xhosa, was the para-military wing of the African National Congress (ANC). It was established on 16 December 1961 to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South Africa. On 27 April 1994, Umkhonto we Sizwe was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). [1] [2] [3]

Institution

The Service Medal in Gold was instituted by the President of South Africa in April 1996. It is the senior award of a set of three medals for long service, along with the Service Medal in Silver and the Service Medal in Bronze. [1] [4] [5]

Umkhonto we Sizwe's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the South African Defence Force and these three medals are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Good Service Medal, Gold, the Good Service Medal, Silver and the Good Service Medal, Bronze. [4]

Award criteria

The medal could be awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe for thirty years exemplary service. [1] [4]

Order of wear

The position of the Service Medal in Gold in the official military and national orders of precedence was revised upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003. [4] [6]

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Ribbon - South Africa Service Medal.png Ribbon - Service Medal in Gold.png Ribbon - Service Medal in Silver.png

South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

Ribbon - Gold Service Medal.png Ribbon - Service Medal in Gold.png Ribbon - John Chard Decoration.png

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003

Ribbon - Gold Service Medal.png Ribbon - Service Medal in Gold.png MTDlint.gif

Description

Obverse

The Service Medal in Gold is a silver-gilt oval medallion with a raised edge, depicting the Umkhonto we Sizwe emblem. [1] [7] [8] [9]

Reverse

The reverse is smooth and displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms, with silver hallmarks impressed below and the medal number impressed above. [7] [8]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and green, with a 4 millimetres wide black edge at left and a 4 millimetres wide yellow edge at right. [1] [7] [8] [9]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Service Medal in Gold was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003. [6]

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Chard Decoration</span> Award

The John Chard Decoration, post-nominal letters JCD, was a military long service decoration which was instituted by the Union of South Africa on 6 April 1952. It was awarded to members of the Citizen Force of the South African Defence Force for twenty years of efficient service and good conduct. Clasps could be awarded after thirty and forty years service respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star for Bravery in Gold</span> Award

The Star for Bravery in Gold, post-nominal letters SBG, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who have distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by performing acts of exceptional bravery in great danger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star for Bravery in Silver</span> Award

The Star for Bravery in Silver, post-nominal letters SBS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by performing acts of bravery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conspicuous Leadership Star</span> Award

The Conspicuous Leadership Star, post-nominal letters CLS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who have distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Decoration for Merit in Gold</span> Award

The Decoration for Merit in Gold, post-nominal letters DMG, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of uMkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merit Medal in Silver</span> Award

The Merit Medal in Silver, post-nominal letters MMS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merit Medal in Bronze</span> Award

The Merit Medal in Bronze, post-nominal letters MMB, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of uMkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by service of a high order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Operational Medal for Southern Africa</span> Award

The Operational Medal for Southern Africa was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in 1998. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army for operational service outside South Africa during the "struggle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa Service Medal</span> Award

The South Africa Service Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in 1998. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army for operational service inside South Africa during the "struggle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Service Medal in Silver</span> Award

The Service Medal in Silver was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, for twenty years service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Service Medal in Bronze</span> Award

The Service Medal in Bronze was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, for ten years service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bravery Star in Silver</span> Award

The Bravery Star in Silver, post-nominal letters BSS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, who had distinguished themselves during "the struggle" by performing acts of bravery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star for Conspicuous Leadership</span> Award

The Star for Conspicuous Leadership, post-nominal letters SCL, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership during the "struggle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Decoration for Merit</span> Award

The Gold Decoration for Merit, post-nominal letters GDM, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty during the "struggle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Medal for Merit</span> Award

The Silver Medal for Merit, post-nominal letters SMM, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty during the "struggle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronze Medal for Merit</span> Award

The Bronze Medal for Merit, post-nominal letters BMM, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for service of a high order during the "struggle".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Service Medal</span> Award

The Gold Service Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for thirty years service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Service Medal</span> Award

The Silver Service Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It could be awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for twenty years exemplary service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronze Service Medal</span> Award

The Bronze Service Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for ten years of exemplary service.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 South African Medal Website - Liberation armies (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  2. "Manifesto of Umkhonto we Sizwe". African National Congress. 16 December 1961. Archived from the original on 17 December 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
  3. Warrant of the President of the Republic of South Africa for the Institution of the "UNITAS MEDAL-UNITAS-MEDALJE", Gazette no. 16087 dated 25 November 1994.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
  5. 1 2 Presidential Warrant by the President of the Republic of South Africa for the Institution of Honours for Bravery in the South African National Defence Force, Gazette no. 25213 dated 25 July 2003.
  6. 1 2 3 F S MK 30 Year Good Service Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  7. 1 2 3 MK 30 Years Service full size medal numbered Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  8. 1 2 Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK)