Gold Decoration for Merit

Gold Decoration for Merit
Awarded by the President
Country  South Africa
Type Military decoration for merit
Eligibility Azanian People's Liberation Army cadres
Awarded for Outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty
Campaign The Struggle
Status Discontinued in 2003
Post-nominals GDM
Statistics
Established 1996
APLA 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
APLA precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
APLA succession:
SANDF succession:

Ribbon bar

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.[1]

Azanian People's Liberation Army

The Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) was the para-military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). It was established in 1961 to wage an armed struggle against the Nationalist government inside South Africa by means of attacks on soft targets such as white people in caravan parks, restaurants and taverns and even during church services.[1][2]

On 27 April 1994 the Azanian People's Liberation Army was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The seven constituent military forces were:

Institution

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

The Gold Decoration for Merit, post-nominal letters GDM, was instituted by the President in April 1996, for award to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army for outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty during The Struggle.[5][1]

Order of precedence

The position of the Gold Decoration for Merit in the official military and national orders of precedence was revised upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[5][6]

Azanian People's Liberation Army

South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003

Description

Obverse

The Gold Decoration for Merit is a silver-gilt straight armed cross with indented ends that fits in a circle with a diameter of 38 millimetres. The arms of the cross are in white enamel, with the Azanian People's Liberation Army emblem in a dark blue enameled roundel in the centre.[1][7]

Ribbon

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

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Gold Decoration for Merit 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 5.5 5.6 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 - Azanian Peoples Liberation Army (APLA)