Sandile Decoration

Sandile Decoration
Awarded by the President
Country Ciskei
Type Military decoration for merit
Eligibility All Ranks
Awarded for Meritorious service
Status Discontinued in 1994
Post-nominals SD
Statistics
Established 1988
CDF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
CDF precedence:
  • Cross for Gallantry
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
CDF succession:
  • Cross for Bravery
SANDF succession:

Ribbon bar

The Sandile Decoration, post-nominal letters SD, was instituted by the President of the Republic of Ciskei in 1988, for award to all ranks for meritorious service.[1][2][3]

The Ciskei Defence Force

The Ciskei Defence Force (CDF) was established upon that country's independence on 4 December 1981. With a population of only one million, the Ciskei Defence Force consisted of about 1,000 members. It was initially organized into two infantry battalions with one armoured personnel carrier and an air wing with five light aircraft and four helicopters.[4][5]

The Fount of Honour for all Ciskei's military decorations and medals was the President of Ciskei.[2][6]

The Republic of Ciskei ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Ciskei Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The seven constituent military forces were:

Institution

The Sandile Decoration, post-nominal letters SD, was instituted by the President in 1988 and was awarded to all ranks for meritorious service.[1][3]

Order of precedence

Since the Sandile Decoration was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces that came to be part of the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date. The position of the Sandile Decoration in the official order of precedence was revised twice after 1994 to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first in April 1996 when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again with the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[1]

Ciskei Defence Force until 26 April 1994

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994

South African National Defence Force from April 1996

The position of the Sandile Decoration in the official order of precedence remained unchanged upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[1]

Description

Obverse

The Sandile Decoration is a medallion struck in silver, 38 millimetres in diameter and without a raised rim, displaying the eagle emblem of the Ciskei Defence Force in a laurel wreath.[3][8]

Reverse

The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Ciskei.

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and white, with 5 millimetres wide red edges and a 4 millimetres wide red band in the centre.[8]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Sandile Decoration was discontinued when the Republic of Ciskei ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Republic of Ciskei Constitution Act, no. 20 of 1981
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 South African Medals Website - TBVC States Defence Forces - Ciskei Defence Force
  4. ↑ South Africa Homeland Militaries, May 1996
  5. ↑ Peled, Alon (1998), A Question of Loyalty: Military Manpower Policy in Multiethnic States, Cornell Studies in Security Affairs, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp. 50f, ISBN 0-8014-3239-1
  6. ↑ 7.0 7.1 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.
  7. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Ciskei Defence Force (CDF)