| Service Medal in Gold | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Military long service medal |
| Awarded for | Thirty years exemplary service |
| Country |   South Africa |
| Presented by | the President |
| Eligibility | Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres |
| Campaign | The "struggle" |
| Status | Discontinued in 2003 |
| Established | 1996 |
 Ribbon bar | |
| MK 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear | |
| Next (higher) | MK precedence: SANDF precedence: |
| Next (lower) | MK succession: SANDF succession: |
TheService Medal in Gold was instituted by the President of theRepublic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres ofUmkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of theAfrican National Congress, for thirty years exemplary service.[1]
Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" inXhosa, was the para-military wing of theAfrican 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][2][3]
The Service Medal in Gold was instituted by thePresident of South Africa in April 1996. It is the senior award of a set of three medals for long service, along with theService Medal in Silver and theService Medal in Bronze.[1][4][5]
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, theGood Service Medal, Gold, theGood Service Medal, Silver and theGood Service Medal, Bronze.[4]
The medal could be awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe for thirty years exemplary service.[1][4]
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.[4][6]
The Service Medal in Gold is a silver-gilt oval medallion with a raised edge, depicting the Umkhonto we Sizwe emblem.[1][7][8][9]
The reverse is smooth and displays the embellishedpre-1994 South African Coat of Arms, with silver hallmarks impressed below and the medal number impressed above.[7][8]
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.[1][7][8][9]
Conferment of the Service Medal in Gold was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.[6]
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.gif)
.gif)
.gif)
.gif)
.gif)
.gif)
.png)
.gif)
.png)
.gif)
.png)
.gif)
.png)
.gif)
.gif)
.gif)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.svg){kind=link}