General Service Medal (Bophuthatswana)

The General Service Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1991, for award to all ranks for operational service inside Bophuthatswana.

The Bophuthatswana Defence Force
The Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) was established upon that country's independence on 6 December 1977. It was organised into six military regions and the ground forces included two infantry battalions. The Bophuthatswana Air Wing was renamed to the Bophuthatswana Air Force (BAF) in late 1987, by which time it had twelve aircraft on strength. Initial training was provided by the South African Defence Force.

The Fount of Honour for all Bophuthatswana's military decorations and medals was the State President of Bophuthatswana.

The Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Bophuthatswana Defence Force 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.
 * 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 (APLA), the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress.

Award criteria
The General Service Medal was instituted by the State President in 1991 for award to all ranks for operational service inside Bophuthatswana.

Order of precedence
Since the General Service Medal was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces that 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. The position of the General Service 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 with the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.


 * Bophuthatswana Defence Force until 26 April 1994:
 * Official BDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Nkwe Medal.
 * Succeeded by the Independence Medal.


 * Bophuthatswana official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Nkwe Medal.
 * Succeeded by the Independence Medal.


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
 * Succeeded by the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal of the United Kingdom.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
 * Succeeded by the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal of the United Kingdom.


 * South African National Defence Force from April 1996:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
 * Succeeded by the Operational Medal for Southern Africa of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Nkwe Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
 * Succeeded by the Operational Medal for Southern Africa of Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Azanian People's Liberation Army.

The position of the General Service Medal in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was in April 1996, when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003.

Description
The General Service Medal is a medallion struck in nickel-silver, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim, displaying the leopard emblem of the Bophuthatswana Defence Force surrounded by a laurel wreath.
 * Obverse

The reverse has the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
 * Reverse

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide with a 4 millimetres wide yellow band, a 2 millimetres wide red band and a 4 millimetres wide white band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 12 millimetres wide red band in the centre.
 * Ribbon

Discontinuation
Conferment of the General Service Medal was discontinued when the Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.