Star of South Africa, Grand Cross

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Star of South Africa, Grand Cross
SAW Star of South Africa breast star artwork.jpg
Breast star artwork
Awarded by the State President and, from 1994, the President
Country Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
TypeCivil decoration for merit
EligibilityCivilians in defence-related industries, general officers in the police, railways police, prisons service and intelligence service and foreign military attachés
Awarded forExcellent meritorious service which made a lasting contribution
StatusDiscontinued in 2002
Post-nominalsSSA
Statistics
Established1978
Pre-1994 & post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
Pre-1994 precedence:
  • Flag of South Africa 1928-1994.svg Order of the Southern Cross, Gold
Post-2002 precedence:
  • Flag of South Africa 1928-1994.svg Order of the Southern Cross, Gold
Equivalent Flag of South Africa 1928-1994.svg Star of South Africa, Gold
Next (lower)
Post-2002 succession:
  • Flag of Bophuthatswana (1972-1994).svg Order of the Leopard, Special Class Grand Cross
Ribbon - Star of South Africa, Grand Cross.gif
Ribbon bar

The Star of South Africa, Grand Cross, post-nominal letters SSA, is the senior decoration of five non-military classes of the Order of the Star of South Africa, a South African Military Order that was instituted by the Republic on 1 July 1975. The Order of the Star of South Africa was discontinued in 2002. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Fount of Honour

Until 1958 the top three South African honours were reserved for conferment by the Queen while the rest were awarded by the Governor-General, but in 1958 the Governor-General was authorised to also award the top three. In 1961 the State President became the Fount of Honour, and in 1994 the President. [4] [5]

Civil honours were gradually introduced from May 1967. They were revised in the 1980s and in 1986 a Chancery of Orders was established in the Office of the State President, after 1994 the Presidency, to administer most of them. Most of these honours remained in use after 1994, until an entirely new honours system was introduced in December 2002. [1]

Institution

The military Order of the Star of South Africa, established in 1975 and conferred on general and flag officers in two classes, was named after the first large diamond to be found in South Africa, the Star of South Africa that was found on the banks of the Orange River in 1869 and that sparked the New Rush, leading to the establishment of Kimberley. The Order was expanded on 17 October 1978 with the institution of five non-military classes of the Order. [3]

Award criteria

The Star of South Africa, Grand Cross, post-nominal letters SSA, is the senior decoration of these five civil honours. It was bestowed on civilians in defence-related industries and organisations and, from 1988, on general officers of the South African Police, South African Railways Police, South African Prisons Service and South African Intelligence Service for excellent meritorious service which made a lasting contribution to the security and general national interest of South Africa. It was also bestowed on foreign military attachés for excellent meritorious service. [1]

The five non-military classes of the Order of the Star of South Africa are: [1] [2]

Order of wear

The Star of South Africa, Grand Cross ranks on par with its equivalent military decoration, the Star of South Africa, Gold. Its position in the official order of precedence was revised twice after 1975 to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first with the integration process of 1994 and again with the institution of a new set of awards in 2003. [2] [6]

Official national order of precedence until 26 April 1994
Official national order of precedence from 27 April 1994

The position of the Star of South Africa, Grand Cross in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was on 27 April 1994, when a new series of orders, decorations and medals was instituted on 27 April 2003. [6]

Description

Obverse

The Star of South Africa, Grand Cross is silver-gilt and is a Maltese cross with the arms in dark blue enamel, with protea flowers between the arms of the cross and two four-pointed stars superimposed on one another and, together, on the cross, with a diamond in the centre. [1]

Reverse

The reverse is smooth and has the embossed pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.

Ribbon

The decoration is worn around the neck on a dark blue ribbon, 35 millimetres wide with orange bands on the edges, each two millimetres wide. [1]

Breast star

Recipients also wear a gold breast star with eight multi-rayed points that displays the obverse of the decoration in its centre. [1]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the decoration was discontinued on 6 December 2002 when a new set of national orders was instituted. [1]

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The Star of South Africa, Gold, post-nominal letters SSA, is the senior decoration of two military and five non-military classes of the Order of the Star of South Africa, a South African Order which was instituted in 1975, for award to general and flag officers of the South African Defence Force. The Order of the Star of South Africa was discontinued in 2002.

Star of South Africa, Silver

The Star of South Africa, Silver, post-nominal letters SSAS, was the second level decoration of two military and five non-military classes of the Order of the Star of South Africa, which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to general and flag officers of the South African Defence Force for exceptionally meritorious service of major military significance. The Order of the Star of South Africa was discontinued in 2002.

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Sandile Medal

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Star for Bravery in Gold

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Decoration for Merit in Gold

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.

Merit Medal in Silver

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.

Bravery Star in Silver

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.

Gold Decoration for Merit

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".

Silver Medal for Merit

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".

Star of South Africa, Commander award

The Star of South Africa, Commander, post-nominal letters CSSA, is the third highest decoration of five non-military classes of the Order of the Star of South Africa, a South African military order that was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. The Order of the Star of South Africa was discontinued in 2002.

Star of South Africa, Officer

The Star of South Africa, Officer is the fourth-ranked decoration of five non-military classes of the Order of the Star of South Africa, a South African military order that was instituted by the Republic on 1 July 1975. The Order of the Star of South Africa was discontinued in 2002.

The Star of South Africa, Grand Officer, post-nominal letters SSAS, is the second decoration of five non-military classes of the Order of the Star of South Africa, a military order that was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. The Order of the Star of South Africa was discontinued in 2002.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 South African Medal Website - Republic of South Africa: 1967-2002 (Accessed 1 May 2015)
  2. 1 2 3 South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Accessed 28 April 2015)
  3. 1 2 South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1975-2003 (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  4. South African Medal Website - SA Defence Force : 1952-1975 (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  5. 1 2 3 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC   72827981
  6. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993