Independence Medal
TypeMilitary commemorative medal
Awarded forCommemoration of the independence of Ciskei
Country Ciskei
Presented bythe President
EligibilityAll Ranks
StatusDiscontinued in 1981
Established1981
Ribbon bar
CDF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear
Next (higher)
CDF precedence:
SANDF precedence:
Next (lower)
CDF succession:
SANDF succession:

The Independence Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Ciskei in 1981, for award to all serving members of the Ciskei Defence Force on 4 December 1981 to commemorate the independence of Ciskei.[1][2]

The Ciskei Defence Force

The Ciskei Defence Force (CDF) was established upon that country's independence on 4 December 1981. The Republic of Ciskei ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Ciskei Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[3][4][5]

Institution

The Independence Medal was instituted by the President of Ciskei in 1981.[6][7]

Award criteria

The medal was awarded to all members serving in the Ciskei Defence Force on 4 December 1981, to commemorate the independence of Ciskei.[6][7]

Order of wear

Since the Independence Medal was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which came to be part of the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date.[1]

Ciskei Defence Force until 26 April 1994

Ciskei Defence Medal Independence Medal (Ciskei) Medal for Long Service, Bronze

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994

Independence Medal (Venda) Independence Medal (Ciskei) Military Rule Medal

The position of the Independence Medal in the official order of precedence was revised twice after 1994, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first in April 1996 when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003. It remained unchanged on both occasions.[1]

Description

Obverse

The Independence Medal is a disk struck in copper, 38 millimetres in diameter, displaying a blue crane on a crossed spear and knobkierie, framed inside a double circle which is inscribed "IXKULULEKO" at left, "CISKEI" at the top, "INDEPENDENCE" at right and "4 DISEMBA 1981" below.[6][8]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 4 millimetres wide brown band, a 4 millimetres wide green band and a 4 millimetres wide blue band, repeated in reverse order and separated by an 8 millimetres wide white band in the centre.[6]

Discontinuation

Conferment of the Independence Medal was discontinued in 1981.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  2. ↑ Republic of Ciskei Constitution Act, no. 20 of 1981
  3. ↑ South Africa Homeland Militaries, May 1996 (Accessed 1 May 2015)
  4. ↑ Peled, Alon (1998), A Question of Loyalty: Military Manpower Policy in Multiethnic States, Cornell Studies in Security Affairs, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp. 50f, ISBN 0-8014-3239-1
  5. 1 2 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.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals – Ciskei Defence Force (CDF)
  7. ↑ Ciskei Miniature Medal for Independence (with Independence Medal (Venda)'s ribbon)
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