| De Wet Decoration | |
| Presenter: | the State President and, from 1994, the President |
| Country: |  South Africa |
| Type: | Military long service decoration |
| Eligibility: | Members of the Commandos * Officers only from 1965 to 1986 * All ranks after 1986 |
| Awarded For: | 20 years loyal service and good conduct |
| Status: | Discontinued in 2003 |
| Clasps: | 30 years service |
| Post-Nominals: | DWD |
| Established: | 1965 |
| Precedence Label: | SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear |
| Higher: | |
| Lower: | |
The De Wet Decoration, post-nominal letters DWD, is a military long service decoration which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa in 1965. It could be awarded to members of the Commandos, the rural civil defence component of the South African Defence Force, for twenty years of efficient service and good conduct. The decoration was initially reserved for officers, but it was made available to all ranks in 1986. A clasp could be awarded after thirty years service.[1]
The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[2] [3] [4]
The De Wet Decoration, post-nominal letters DWD, was instituted by the State President, C.R. Swart in 1965. It was named after Second Boer War General Christiaan de Wet. The De Wet Decoration was one of only three South African military awards for long service which entitled the recipient to the use of post-nominal letters, the others being the John Chard Decoration (JCD), which was awarded to Citizen Force members, and the defunct Efficiency Decoration (ED).[2] [5]
The decoration could be awarded to officers of the Commandos, the rural civil defence component of the South African Defence Force, for twenty years of efficient service and good conduct. Award of the decoration was made available to all ranks in 1986.[2] [1] [6]
A clasp could be awarded to holders of the De Wet Decoration after 30 years service. When medals are not worn, recipients of the clasp wear a button with the encircled letters "DWD" on the ribbon bar.[3]
The position of the De Wet Decoration in the official order of precedence was revised three times to accommodate the institution or addition of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, again when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted in April 1996 for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again when a new series of military decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003, but it remained unchanged on all three occasions.[7] [8]
The clasp is in silver, with the encircled letters "DWD" embossed in the centre. Two versions of the clasp exist, the original with the tops and bottoms of the characters "DWD" following the circumference of the circle, and a second version with the bottoms of the characters in line. Members who had been awarded the clasp wear a silver button, 8 millimetres in diameter and inscribed "DWD", on the ribbon bar when medals are not worn.
Conferment of the De Wet Decoration was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003.[4] [9]