Decoration for Merit in Gold

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Decoration for Merit in Gold
TypeMilitary decoration for merit
Awarded forOutstanding service and utmost devotion to duty
Country  South Africa
Presented bythe President
EligibilityuMkhonto we Sizwe cadres
Post-nominalsDMG
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:

The Decoration for Merit in Gold, post-nominal letters DMG, 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 outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty.[1][2]

uMkhonto we Sizwe[edit]

uMkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, Zulu for "Spear of the Nation", was the paramilitary 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[edit]

The Decoration for Merit in Gold, post-nominal letters DMG, was instituted by the President of South Africa in April 1996. It is the senior award of a set of three decorations for merit, along with the Merit Medal in Silver and the Merit Medal in Bronze.[1][5][6]

uMkhonto we Sizwe's military decorations and medals were modeled 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[edit]

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

Order of wear[edit]

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

The position of the Decoration for Merit 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, but it remained unchanged.[5][7]

uMkhonto we Sizwe

Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS) Decoration for Merit in Gold (DMG) Merit Medal in Silver (MMS)

South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003

Sandile Decoration (SD) Decoration for Merit in Gold (DMG) Gold Decoration for Merit (GDM)

Description[edit]

Obverse

The Decoration for Merit in Gold is a silver-gilt double Maltese cross, which fits in a circle 45 millimetres in diameter. The arms of the cross are in white enamel, with the Umkhonto we Sizwe emblem in a dark blue enameled roundel in the centre.[1][8]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and dark blue, with a 12 millimetres wide yellow band in the centre.[1][8]

Discontinuation[edit]

Conferment of the Decoration for Merit in Gold was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours for the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 2003.[7]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f 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 2006-12-30.
  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. ^ a b c d e f g Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  6. ^ a b 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. ^ a b "Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK)". Archived from the original on 16 September 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
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