Operational Medal for Southern Africa
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Use South African English|date=June 2014}}
{{infobox military award
| name = Operational Medal for Southern Africa
| image = x300px
| caption =
| presenter = the President
| country = 25px 25px {{flag|South Africa|1994}}
| type = Military campaign medal
| eligibility = Umkhonto we Sizwe and Azanian People's Liberation Army cadres
| awarded_for = Operational service outside South Africa
| campaign = The "struggle"
| status = Discontinued in 2003
| description =
| motto =
| clasps =
| post-nominals =
| established = 1998
| firstawarded =
| lastawarded =
| total_awarded =
| total_awarded_posthumously =
| total_recipients =
| precedence_label = APLA and MK 1996 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
| individual =
| higher = {{plainlist|MK precedence:
}}
{{plainlist|APLA precedence:
}}
{{plainlist|SANDF precedence:
}}
| same =
| lower = {{plainlist|MK and APLA succession:
}}
{{plainlist|SANDF succession:
}}
| related =
| image2 = x29px
| caption2 = Ribbon bar
}}
The Operational Medal for Southern Africa was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in 1998. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army for operational service outside South Africa during the "struggle".[http://www.geocities.ws/militaf/lib.htm South African Medal Website - Liberation armies] (Accessed 30 April 2015)
MK and APLA
Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, "Spear of the Nation" in Zulu, was the para-military wing of the African National Congress (ANC), while the Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) was the para-military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress. Both were established in 1961 to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South Africa. On 27 April 1994, Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army were amalgamated with five statutory defence forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).{{cite web|url=http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/manifesto-mk.html|title=Manifesto of Umkhonto we Sizwe|publisher=African National Congress|date=16 December 1961|access-date=2006-12-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061217090228/http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/history/manifesto-mk.html |archive-date=17 December 2006}}[http://sabctrc.saha.org.za/reports/volume2/chapter7/subsection36.htm TRC Final Report: Pan African Congress][http://sabctrc.saha.org.za/originals/finalreport/volume6/html/BMvolume6_s5ch5.htm TRC Final Report, 6:5:5], as presented by the SABC and the South African History Archive (SAHA).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 Operational Medal for Southern Africa was instituted by the President of South Africa in 1998.
Award criteria
Order of wear
{{main|South African military decorations order of wear#Order of wear}}
The position of the Operational Medal for Southern Africa 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.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, {{OCLC|72827981}}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:
File:Ribbon - Merit Medal in Bronze.png File:Ribbon - Operational Medal for Southern Africa.png File:Ribbon - South Africa Service Medal.png
- Official MK order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Merit Medal in Bronze (MMB).
- Succeeded by the South Africa Service Medal.
;Azanian People's Liberation Army:
File:Ribbon - Bronze Medal for Merit.png File:Ribbon - Operational Medal for Southern Africa.png File:Ribbon - South Africa Service Medal.png
- Official APLA order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Bronze Medal for Merit (BMM).
- Succeeded by the South Africa Service Medal.
;South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003:
File:Ribbon - General Service Medal (Bophuthatswana).png File:Ribbon - Operational Medal for Southern Africa.png File:Ribbon - South Africa Service Medal.png
- Official SANDF order of precedence:
- Preceded by the General Service Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
- Succeeded by the South Africa Service Medal of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army.
- Official national order of precedence:
- Preceded by the General Service Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
- Succeeded by the South Africa Service Medal of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army.
Description
;Obverse
The Operational Medal for Southern Africa is a medallion struck in nickel-silver, 38 millimetres in diameter with a raised rim, and depicts a baobab tree inside a hexagonal frame of chain.[http://www.army.mil.za/aboutus/uniform/formerforcesmedals/mk.htm Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK)][http://www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/150552512/MINIATURE_APLA_MK_OPERATIONAL_MEDAL_FOR_SOUTHERN_AFRICA_SOLD_WITHOUT_RIBBON.html Miniature APLA MK Operational Medal for Southern Africa sold without ribbon]
;Reverse
The reverse has a wide raised rim and displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.
;Ribbon
The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 4 millimetres wide red band, an 8 millimetres wide green band and a 1 millimetre wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 6 millimetres wide black band in the centre.
Discontinuation
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{South African military decorations and medals}}
Category:Military decorations and medals of uMkhonto we Sizwe
Category:Military decorations and medals of Azanian People's Liberation Army
Category:1998 establishments in South Africa
Category:2003 disestablishments in South Africa