Operational Medal for Southern Africa

The Operational Medal for Southern Africa was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in 1998. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army for operational service outside South Africa during the "struggle".[1]

Operational Medal for Southern Africa
Awarded by the President
Country  South Africa
TypeMilitary campaign medal
EligibilityUmkhonto we Sizwe and Azanian People's Liberation Army cadres
Awarded forOperational service outside South Africa
Campaign(s)The "struggle"
StatusDiscontinued in 2003
Statistics
Established1998
APLA and MK 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
MK precedence:
APLA precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
MK and APLA succession:
SANDF succession:

Ribbon bar

MK and APLA

Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in Zulu, was the para-military wing of the African National Congress (ANC), while the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) was the para-military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress. Both were established in 1961 to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South Africa. On 27 April 1994, Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army were amalgamated with five statutory defence forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[1][2][3][4][5]

Institution

The Operational Medal for Southern Africa was instituted by the President of South Africa in 1998.[1][6]

Award criteria

The medal could be awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army for operational service outside South Africa during the "struggle".[1][6]

Order of wear
Main article: South African military decorations order of wear § Order of wear

The position of the Operational Medal for Southern Africa 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.[6][7]

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Azanian People's Liberation Army

  • Official APLA order of precedence:
South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

Description
Obverse

The Operational Medal for Southern Africa is a medallion struck in nickel-silver, 38 millimetres in diameter with a raised rim, and depicts a baobab tree inside a hexagonal frame of chain.[1][8][9]

Reverse

The reverse has a wide raised rim and displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.[9]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 4 millimetres wide red band, an 8 millimetres wide green band and a 1 millimetre wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 6 millimetres wide black band in the centre.[1][8]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Operational Medal for Southern Africa was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[7]

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References
  1. South African Medal Website - Liberation armies (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  2. "Manifesto of Umkhonto we Sizwe". African National Congress. 16 December 1961. Archived from the original on 17 December 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
  3. TRC Final Report: Pan African Congress
  4. TRC Final Report, 6:5:5, as presented by the SABC and the South African History Archive (SAHA).
  5. 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.
  6. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  7. 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.
  8. Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK)
  9. Miniature APLA MK Operational Medal for Southern Africa sold without ribbon
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