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 The African National Congress (ANC) is a social-democratic political party in South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when the first post-apartheid election install ...

, for ten years service.

uMkhonto we Sizwe

uMkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in Zulu, was the paramilitary wing of the

(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).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 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. 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 The Good Service Medal, Silver, originally named the South African Defence Force Good Service Medal, Silver, is the middle member of a set of three South African military decorations, military medals which was instituted by the South Africa, Rep ...

and the Good Service Medal, Bronze.

Award criteria

The medal was authorised for awarding to veteran cadres of for ten years service.

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.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, 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.

uMkhonto we Sizwe

*Official MK order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Service Medal in Silver.

South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

Ribbon - Queen's Medal for Champion Shots

*Official SANDF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Bronze Service Medal of 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 ...

. ** Succeeded by the

Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces The Medal for the Best Shot in the British Army, Infantry, was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1869 and was awarded annually from 1870 to 1882 to the best shot of the Infantry of the British Army, including the Royal Engineers and the Colonial ...

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 Bronze Service Medal of the Azanian People's Liberation Army. ** Succeeded by the State President's Sport Award of the Republic of South Africa.

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 The Medalje vir Troue Diens - Medal for Loyal Service was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa on 16 April 2003 and came into effect on 27 April 2003. It can be awarded to all ranks whose character and conduct have been ir ...

of the Republic of South Africa. *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.

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.Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK)
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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.

Discontinuation

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

References

{{South African military decorations and medals Military decorations and medals of uMkhonto we Sizwe 1996 establishments in South Africa Awards established in 1996 Long service medals 2003 disestablishments in South Africa Awards disestablished in 2003