Merit Medal in Silver

The Merit Medal in Silver, post-nominal letters MMS, 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, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty.[1][2]

Merit Medal in Silver
TypeMilitary decoration for merit
Awarded forExceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty
Country  South Africa
Presented bythe President
EligibilityUmkhonto we Sizwe cadres
Post-nominalsMMS
Campaign(s)The "struggle"
StatusDiscontinued in 2003
Established1996
Ribbon bar
MK 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
MK precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
MK succession:
SANDF succession:

Umkhonto we Sizwe

Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in isiZulu, was the para-military wing of the African National Congress (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).[1][3][4]

Institution

The Merit Medal in Silver, post-nominal letters MMS, was instituted by the President in April 1996. It is the middle award of a set of three decorations for merit, along with the Decoration for Merit in Gold and the Merit Medal in Bronze.[1][2][5]

Umkhonto we Sizwe's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the South African Defence Force and these three decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Southern Cross Decoration and Pro Merito Decoration, the Southern Cross Medal (1975) and Pro Merito Medal (1975), and the Military Merit Medal.[5]

Award criteria

The decoration could be awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty.[1][5]

Order of wear
Main article: South African military decorations order of wear § Order of wear

The position of the Merit Medal in Silver in the official military and national orders of precedence was revised upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003, but it remained unchanged.[5][6]

Umkhonto we Sizwe

South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

Description
Obverse

The Merit Medal in Silver was struck in silver, to fit in a circle 38 millimetres in diameter. It depicts the Umkhonto we Sizwe emblem in a dark blue enameled roundel, in the centre of a five-pointed starburst of radiating points.[1][7]

Reverse

The reverse displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and dark blue, with a 12 millimetres wide white band in the centre.[1][7]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Merit Medal in Silver was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[6]

References
  1. South African Medal Website - Liberation armies (Accessed 30 April 2015)
  2. South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Accessed 28 April 2015)
  3. "Manifesto of Umkhonto we Sizwe". African National Congress. 16 December 1961. Archived from the original on 17 December 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2006.
  4. 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.
  5. Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  6. 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.
  7. Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK)
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