| Gold Star for Bravery | |
| Presenter: | the President |
| Country: |  South Africa |
| Type: | Military decoration for bravery |
| Eligibility: | Azanian People's Liberation Army cadres |
| Awarded For: | Exceptional bravery in great danger |
| Campaign: | The "struggle" |
| Status: | Discontinued in 2003 |
| Post-Nominals: | GSB |
| Established: | 1996 |
| Precedence Label: | APLA 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear |
| Higher: | |
| Lower: | |
The Gold Star for Bravery, post-nominal letters GSB, 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, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by performing acts of exceptional bravery in great danger.[1]
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. 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).[1] [2] [3]
The Gold Star for Bravery, post-nominal letters GSB, was instituted by the President of South Africa in April 1996. It is the senior award of a set of three decorations for bravery, along with the Bravery Star in Silver and the Star for Conspicuous Leadership.[1] [4]
The Azanian People's Liberation Army's military decorations and medals were modeled on those of the Republic of South Africa and these three decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Honoris Crux Gold, the Honoris Crux (1975) and the Pro Virtute Decoration.[1]
The decoration could be awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by performing acts of exceptional bravery in great danger.[1]
The position of the Gold Star for Bravery 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, as it had been until 26 April 2003.[5] [6]
Conferment of the Gold Star for Bravery was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of military honours on 27 April 2003.[6]