Star for Conspicuous Leadership

The Star for Conspicuous Leadership, post-nominal letters SCL, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership during The Struggle.

Azanian People's Liberation Army
The Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) was the para-military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). It was established in 1961 to wage an armed struggle against the Nationalist government inside South Africa by means of attacks on soft targets such as white people in caravan parks, restaurants and taverns and even during church services.

On 27 April 1994 the Azanian People's Liberation Army was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). The seven constituent military forces were:
 * The South African Defence Force (SADF).
 * The Transkei Defence Force (TDF) of the Republic of Transkei.
 * The Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
 * The Venda Defence Force (VDF) of the Republic of Venda.
 * The Ciskei Defence Force (CDF) of the Republic of Ciskei.
 * Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the military wing of the African National Congress.
 * The Azanian People's Liberation Army.

Award criteria
The Fount of Honour for all South African military decorations and medals is the President of South Africa.

The Star for Conspicuous Leadership, post-nominal letters SCL, was instituted by the President in April 1996, for award to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army for distinguished conduct and exceptional combat leadership during The Struggle.

Order of precedence
The position of the Star for Conspicuous Leadership 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.


 * Azanian People's Liberation Army:
 * Official APLA order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Bravery Star in Silver (BSS).
 * Succeeded by the Gold Decoration for Merit (GDM).


 * South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS) of Umkhonto we Sizwe.
 * Succeeded by the Defence Force Merit Decoration of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS) of Umkhonto we Sizwe.
 * Succeeded by the Police Star for Distinguished Service (SOO) of the Republic of South Africa.

Description
The Star for Conspicuous Leadership is a pair of five-pointed stars superimposed one on the other, struck in bronze to fit inside a circle with a diameter of 38 millimetres and displaying a bronze lion on a ruby red enameled centre roundel.
 * Obverse

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and red with a 12 millimetres wide dark brown band in the centre.
 * Ribbon

Discontinuation
Conferment of the Star for Conspicuous Leadership was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.