The Independence Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1979, for award to all ranks in commemoration of the independence of Venda.

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).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.

Institution

The Independence Medal was instituted by the President of Venda in 1979.South African Medal Website - Legal aspects - Fount of Honour
(Accessed 1 May 2015)

Award criteria

The medal was awarded to all ranks in commemoration of the independence of Venda.

Order of wear

Since the Independence Medal 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.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 General Service Medal. ** Succeeded by the

Long Service Medal, Gold The Long Service Medal, Gold was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for thirty years exemplary service.

. *Venda official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Police Medal for Combating Terrorism. ** Succeeded by the Police Establishment Medal. ;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994: *Official SANDF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Independence Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana. ** Succeeded by the Independence Medal of the Republic of Ciskei. *Official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Independence Police Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana. ** Succeeded by the Police Establishment Medal of the

KwaZulu Homeland KwaZulu was a semi-independent bantustan in South Africa, intended by the apartheid government as a homeland for the Zulu people. The capital was moved from Nongoma to Ulundi in 1980. It was led until its abolition in 1994 by Chief Mangosuth ...

. The position of the Independence 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 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 Independence Medal is a medallion struck in copper, 38 millimetres in diameter, depicting an elephant's head on a shield and inscribed "13 9 1979" above, "INDEPENDENCE" to the left and "DUVHA LA VHUDILANG" to the right of the shield. ;Reverse The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Venda. ;Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 5 millimetres wide brown band, a 2 millimetres wide yellow band, a 5 millimetres wide green band and a 1 millimetre wide yellow band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 6 millimetres wide blue band.

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Independence 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 1979 Awards disestablished in 1994 1979 establishments in Africa 1994 disestablishments in Africa