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The General Service Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1991, for award to all ranks for operational service inside Bophuthatswana.South African Medal Website - Bophuthatswana Defence Force
(Accessed 30 April 2015)Republic of Bophuthatswana Constitution Act, 1977
/ref>
* Official BDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal.
** Succeeded by the Independence Medal.
* Bophuthatswana official national order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal.
** Succeeded by the Independence Medal.
;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
* Official SANDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
** Succeeded by the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal of the 
* Official SANDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
** Succeeded by the Operational Medal for Southern Africa of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the
(Accessed 30 April 2015)Republic of Bophuthatswana Constitution Act, 1977
/ref>
The Bophuthatswana Defence Force
The Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) was established upon that country's independence on 6 December 1977. The Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Bophuthatswana 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 General Service Medal was instituted by the State President of Bophuthatswana in 1991.Award criteria
The medal could be awarded to all ranks for operational service inside Bophuthatswana.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. 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.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette no. 15093, Pretoria, 3 September 1993
;Bophuthatswana Defence Force until 26 April 1994:
* Official BDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal.
** Succeeded by the Independence Medal.
* Bophuthatswana official national order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal.
** Succeeded by the Independence Medal.
;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
* Official SANDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
** Succeeded by the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.
* Official national order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
** Succeeded by the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal of the United Kingdom.
;South African National Defence Force from April 1996:
* Official SANDF order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
** Succeeded by the Operational Medal for Southern Africa of Umkhonto we Sizwe and 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 ...
.
* Official national order of precedence:
** Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
** Succeeded by the Operational Medal for Southern Africa of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005,
The position of the General Service Medal in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was in April 1996, when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003.
Description
;Obverse The General Service Medal is a medallion struck in nickel-silver, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim, displaying the leopard emblem of the Bophuthatswana Defence Force surrounded by a laurel wreath. ;Reverse The reverse has the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bophuthatswana. ;Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 4 millimetres wide yellow band, a 2 millimetres wide red band and a 4 millimetres wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 12 millimetres wide red band in the centre.
Discontinuation
Conferment of the General Service Medal was discontinued when the Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.References
{{South African military decorations and medals Military decorations and medals of Bophuthatswana Awards established in 1991 Awards disestablished in 1994 1991 establishments in Africa 1994 disestablishments in Africa