Service Medal in Silver

Service Medal in Silver
Awarded by the President
Country  South Africa
Type Military long service medal
Eligibility Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres
Awarded for Twenty years service
Campaign The Struggle
Status Discontinued in 2003
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 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.[1]

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in Zulu, 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 defence forces and para-military forces were:

Institution

The Fount of Honour for all South African military decorations and medals is the President of South Africa. The Service Medal in Silver was instituted by the President in April 1996.[4]

Award criteria

The medal was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe for twenty years service.[5][1]

Order of precedence

The position of the Service Medal in Silver 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 Service Medal in Silver is an oval medallion with a raised edge, struck in silver and depicting the Umkhonto we Sizwe emblem.[1][7][8]

Reverse

The reverse is smooth and displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms with watermarks stamped below and the medal number stamped above.[9][10]

Ribbon

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

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Service Medal in Silver 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)
  7. ↑ 8.0 8.1 MK Service Medals Silver Full size Minature Silver medal
  8. ↑ F S MK 30 Year Good Service
  9. ↑ MK 30 Years Service full size medal numbered