Service Medal in Bronze explained

Service Medal in Bronze
Presenter:	the President of the RSA
Country:	South Africa
Type:	Military long service medal
Eligibility:	uMkhonto we Sizwe cadres
Awarded For:	Ten years service
Campaign:	Armed resistance against Apartheid
Status:	Discontinued in 2003
Established:	1996
Precedence Label:	MK 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Higher:	Service Medal in Silver Bronze Service Medal
Lower:	Medalje vir Troue Diens

The Service Medal in Bronze 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 ten years service.^[1]

uMkhonto we Sizwe

uMkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in Zulu, was the paramilitary wing of the African National Congress (ANC). It was established on 16 December 1961 to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government. On 27 April 1994, uMkhonto we Sizwe was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).^{[1] [2] [3]}

Institution

The Service Medal in Bronze was instituted by the President of South Africa in April 1996. It is the junior award of a set of three medals for long service, along with the Service Medal in Gold and the Service Medal in Silver.^{[1] [4]}

uMkhonto we Sizwe's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the South African Defence Force and these three medals are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Good Service Medal, Gold, the Good Service Medal, Silver and the Good Service Medal, Bronze.

Award criteria

The medal was authorised for awarding to veteran cadres of for ten years service.^[1]

Order of wear

The position of the Service Medal in Bronze in the official military and national orders of precedence was revised upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.^{[5] [6]}

uMkhonto we Sizwe

• Official MK order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Service Medal in Silver.^[5]

South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

• Official SANDF order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Bronze Service Medal of the Azanian People's Liberation Army.
  • Succeeded by the Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces of the United Kingdom.^[5]
• Official national order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Bronze Service Medal of the Azanian People's Liberation Army.
  • Succeeded by the State President's Sport Award of the Republic of South Africa.^[5]

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003

• Official SANDF order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Bronze Service Medal of the Azanian People's Liberation Army.
  • Succeeded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens of the Republic of South Africa.^[5]
• Official national order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Bronze Service Medal of the Azanian People's Liberation Army.
  • Succeeded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens of the Republic of South Africa.^[5]

Description

Obverse

The Service Medal in Bronze is an oval medallion with a raised edge, struck in bronze and depicting the Umkhonto we Sizwe emblem.^{[1] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

Reverse

The reverse is smooth and displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 10 millimetres wide black band, a 12 millimetres wide green band and a 10 millimetres wide yellow band.^{[1] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Service Medal in Bronze was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Liberation armies. South African Medal Website . 30 April 2015.
2. Web site: Manifesto of Umkhonto we Sizwe. African National Congress. 16 December 1961. 2006-12-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20061217090228/http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/manifesto-mk.html. 17 December 2006.
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. Web site: Legal aspects - Fount of Honour. South African Medal Website . 1 May 2015.
5. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005,
6. 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.
7. http://www.army.mil.za/aboutus/uniform/formerforcesmedals/mk.htm Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK)
8. Web site: F S MK 10 Year Good Service Medal . https://web.archive.org/web/20150923184919/http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/148405728/F_S_MK_10_YEAR_GOOD_SERVICE_MEDAL.html . 23 September 2015 . bidorbuy.co.za.
9. Web site: Miniature Umkhonto we Sizwe MK 10 Years Good Service Medal MINT. bidorbuy.co.za. 5 April 2023.
10. Web site: Umkhonto we Sizwe MK 10 Years Good Service Medal numbered and in box of issue MINT. bidorbuy.co.za. 5 April 2023.