The Service Medal in Gold was instituted by the President of the

Republic of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

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 democracy, social-democratic political party in Republic of South Africa, South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when ...

, for thirty years exemplary service.South African Medal Website - Liberation armies
(Accessed 30 April 2015)

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in

Xhosa Xhosa may refer to: * Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa * Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people See als ...

, was the para-military wing of the

(ANC). It was established on 16 December 1961 to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South Africa. 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 Gold was instituted by the

President of South Africa The president of South Africa is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of South Africa. The president heads the executive branch of the Government of South Africa and is the commander-in-chief of the South African Nationa ...

in April 1996. It is the senior award of a set of three medals for long service, along with the Service Medal in Silver and the Service Medal in Bronze.South African Medal Website - Legal aspects - Fount of Honour
(Accessed 1 May 2015) 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, Gold, originally named the South African Defence Force Good Service Medal, Gold, is the senior of a set of three military medals which was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was initially award ...

, 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 The Good Service Medal, Bronze, originally named the South African Defence Force Good Service Medal, Bronze, is the junior of a set of three South African military medals which was instituted by the Republic on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to mem ...

Award criteria

The medal could be awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe for thirty years exemplary service.

Order of wear

The position of the Service Medal in Gold 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: Ribbon - South Africa Service Medal

*Official MK order of precedence: ** Preceded by the South Africa Service Medal. ** Succeeded by the Service Medal in Silver. ;South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003: Ribbon - Gold Service Medal

*Official SANDF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the

Gold Service Medal The Gold Service Medal was instituted by the President of the South Africa, Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress of Az ...

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

John Chard Decoration The John Chard Decoration, post-nominal letters JCD, was a military long service decoration which was instituted by the Union of South Africa on 6 April 1952. It was awarded to members of the Citizen Force of the South African Defence Force for ...

(JCD) of the

. *Official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Gold Service Medal of the Azanian People's Liberation Army. ** Succeeded by the John Chard Decoration (JCD) of the Republic of South Africa. ;South African National Defence Force from 27 April 2003: Ribbon - Gold Service Medal

*Official SANDF order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Gold Service Medal of the Azanian People's Liberation Army. ** Succeeded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 30 years of the Republic of South Africa. *Official national order of precedence: ** Preceded by the Gold Service Medal of the Azanian People's Liberation Army. ** Succeeded by the Medalje vir Troue Diens and Bar, 30 years of the Republic of South Africa.

Description

;Obverse The Service Medal in Gold is a silver-gilt oval medallion with a raised edge, depicting the Umkhonto we Sizwe emblem.Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK)
/ref> ;Reverse The reverse is smooth and displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms, with silver hallmarks impressed below and the medal number impressed above.F S MK 30 Year Good Service

;Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and green, with a 4 millimetres wide black edge at left and a 4 millimetres wide yellow edge at right.

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Service Medal in Gold 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