Conspicuous Leadership Star

Conspicuous Leadership Star
Awarded by the President
Country  South Africa
Type Military decoration for bravery
Eligibility Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres
Awarded for Distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership
Campaign The Struggle
Status Discontinued in 2003
Post-nominals CLS
Statistics
Established 1996
MK 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
MK precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
MK succession:
SANDF succession:

Ribbon bar

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.[1]

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, Zulu for "Spear of the Nation", 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 by means of sabotage, bombings and landmines.[1][2]

On 27 April 1994 Umkhonto we Sizwe was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The seven constituent military forces were:

Award criteria

The Fount of Honour for all South African military decorations and medals is the President of South Africa.[4]

The Conspicuous Leadership Star, post-nominal letters CLS, was instituted by the President in April 1996, for award to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe who have distinguished themselves during The Struggle by distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership.[5][1]

Order of precedence

The position of the Conspicuous Leadership Star in the official military and national orders of precedence was revised upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003, but it remained unchanged.[5][6]

Umkhonto we Sizwe

South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

Description

Obverse

The Conspicuous Leadership Star is a five-pointed star struck in bronze, to fit inside a circle with a diameter of 38 millimetres and displaying a bronze lion on a ruby red enameled centre roundel.[1][7]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and red with two 6 millimetres wide brown bands in the centre, spaced 4 millimetres apart.[1][7]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Conspicuous Leadership Star was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 South African Medals Website - Military decorations and medals - Liberation armies and military veterans
  2. ↑ "Manifesto of Umkhonto we Sizwe". African National Congress. 16 December 1961. Archived from the original on 17 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-30.
  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. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  5. ↑ 6.0 6.1 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. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK)