General Service Medal (Venda) on:
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The General Service Medal was instituted by the President of the
*Official VDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Venda Defence Force Medal.
** Succeeded by the Independence Medal.
*Venda official national order of precedence:
** Preceded by the National Force Medal for Combating Terrorism.
** Succeeded by the Police Medal for Combating Terrorism.
;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
*Official SANDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Pro Patria Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
** Succeeded by the Southern Africa Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
*Official national order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Police Medal for Maintenance of Law and Order of the Republic of Ciskei.
** Succeeded by the Police Medal for Combating Terrorism of the Republic of Venda.
The position of the General Service Medal 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
/ref> ;Reverse The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Venda. ;Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 2 millimetres wide yellow band, a 7 millimetres wide brown band and a 2 millimetres wide yellow band, repeated and separated by a 10 millimetres wide green band.
Republic of Venda
Venda () was a Bantustan in northern South Africa, which is fairly close to the South African border with Zimbabwe to the north, while to the south and east, it shared a long border with another black homeland, Gazankulu. It is now part of the ...
in 1985, for award to all ranks for service in defence of Venda or in the prevention or suppression of terrorism.
The Venda Defence Force
The 900 member Venda Defence Force (VDF) was established upon that country's independence on 13 September 1979. The Republic of Venda ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Venda Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).Institution
The General Service Medal was instituted by the President of Venda in 1985. Venda's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the Republic of South Africa and the General Service Medal is the approximate equivalent of the Pro Patria Medal.Award criteria
The medal could be awarded to all ranks for service in defence of Venda or in the prevention or suppression of terrorism.Order of wear
Since the General Service Medal was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which came to be part of theSouth African National Defence Force
The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The commander of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister ...
on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005,
;Venda Defence Force until 26 April 1994:
*Official VDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Venda Defence Force Medal.
** Succeeded by the Independence Medal.
*Venda official national order of precedence:
** Preceded by the National Force Medal for Combating Terrorism.
** Succeeded by the Police Medal for Combating Terrorism.
;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
*Official SANDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Pro Patria Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
** Succeeded by the Southern Africa Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
*Official national order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Police Medal for Maintenance of Law and Order of the Republic of Ciskei.
** Succeeded by the Police Medal for Combating Terrorism of the Republic of Venda.
The position of the General Service Medal 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
The Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA), formerly known as Poqo, was the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, an African nationalist movement in South Africa. In the Xhosa language, the word 'Poqo' means 'pure'.
After attacks on ...
and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003, but it remained unchanged on both occasions.
Description
;Obverse The General Service Medal is a disk struck in bronze, 38 millimetres in diameter, depicting an elephant's head above two crossed battle-axes.Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Venda Defence Force (BDF)/ref> ;Reverse The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Venda. ;Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 2 millimetres wide yellow band, a 7 millimetres wide brown band and a 2 millimetres wide yellow band, repeated and separated by a 10 millimetres wide green band.
Discontinuation
Conferment of the General Service Medal was discontinued when the Republic of Venda ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.References
{{South African military decorations and medals Military decorations and medals of Venda Awards established in 1985 Awards disestablished in 1994 1985 establishments in Africa 1994 disestablishments in Africa