Medal for Long Service, Bronze explained

Medal for Long Service, Bronze
Presenter:the President
Country: Ciskei
Type:Military long service medal
Eligibility:All Ranks
Awarded For:Ten years faithful service
Status:Discontinued in 1994
Established:1988
Precedence Label:CDF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Higher:
Lower:

The Medal for Long Service, Bronze was instituted by the President of the Republic of Ciskei in 1988, for award to all ranks for ten years faithful service.[1] [2]

The Ciskei Defence Force

The Ciskei Defence Force (CDF) was established upon that country's independence on 4 December 1981. 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).[3] [4]

Institution

The Medal for Long Service, Bronze was instituted by the President of Ciskei in 1988. Ciskei's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the Republic of South Africa and the Medal for Long Service, Bronze is the approximate equivalent of the Good Service Medal, Bronze.[1] [2] [5]

Award criteria

The medal could be awarded to all ranks for ten years of faithful service.

Order of wear

Since the Medal for Long Service, Bronze was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which 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 Medal for Long Service, Bronze 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 upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[6]

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 Medal for Long Service, Bronze in the official order of precedence remained unchanged upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[6]

Description

ObverseThe Medal for Long Service, Bronze is a disk struck in bronze, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick with a raised rim, displaying the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Ciskei.[2] [7]
ReverseThe reverse is plain with a raised rim and the inscription "IMBASA YENKONZO ENDE" in three lines.[8]
RibbonThe ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with an 8 millimetres wide brown band and a 3 millimetres wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 10 millimetres wide blue band in the centre.[2] [7] [8]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Medal for Long Service, Bronze was discontinued when the Republic of Ciskei ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.[4]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Ciskei_Constitution.pdf Republic of Ciskei Constitution Act, no. 20 of 1981
  2. http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/milcis.htm South African Medal Website - Ciskei Defence Force
  3. (Accessed 1 May 2015)
  4. 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.
  5. http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/legal.htm South African Medal Website - Legal aspects - Fount of Honour
  6. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005,
  7. http://www.army.mil.za/aboutus/uniform/formerforcesmedals/Ciskei.htm Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Ciskei Defence Force (CDF)
  8. http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/151046428/Ciskei_Defence_Medal_for_Long_Service_Full_size.html Ciskei Defence Medal for Long Service Full size