Pro Merito Medal (1975)

The Pro Merito Medal of 1975, post-nominal letters PMM, is a military decoration that was instituted by the Republic of South Africa on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to other ranks of the South African Defence Force for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty and was the non-commissioned officers' version of the Southern Cross Medal of 1975 (SM).

The South African military
The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994 it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

Orders, decorations and medals
In April 1952 a series of military decorations and medals was instituted, consisting of substitutes for many of the British and Commonwealth awards which had earlier been used. More decorations and medals, as well as an emblem for being mentioned in dispatches, were added between 1953 and 1970. In July 1975 the military decorations and medals of the Republic were revised. Some decorations and medals were carried over from the earlier series of 1952-1975 and new awards were instituted, followed by more between 1987 and 1991. Finally, all but one of these earlier awards were discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003, when a new set of nine decorations and medals was instituted to replace them.

Fount of Honour
Until 1958 the top three awards were reserved for conferment by the Queen while the rest were awarded by the Governor-General, but in 1958 the Governor-General was authorised to also award the top three. In 1961 the State President became the Fount of Honour, and in 1994 the President.

Award criteria for the Pro Merito Medal of 1975
The Pro Merito Medal of 1975, post-nominal letters PMM, was instituted on 1 July 1975 and replaced the Pro Merito Medal of 1967. It was awarded to other ranks of the South African Defence Force for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty. The use of post-nominal letters by all recipients was allowed from 1993.

Although not prescribed, the practice was generally that recipients must already have received the Military Merit Medal (MMM).

Order of precedence
The position of the Pro Merito Medal of 1975 in the official order of precedence was revised twice after 1975 to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first with the integration into the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994 and again with the institution of a new set of awards on 27 April 2003.


 * South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994:
 * Official SADF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Southern Cross Medal of 1975 (SM).
 * Succeeded by the Danie Theron Medal (DTM).


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Southern Cross Medal of 1975 (SM).
 * Succeeded by the Department of Correctional Services Medal for Merit (Officers).


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Southern Cross Medal of 1975 (SM) of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Defence Force Merit Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Southern Cross Medal of 1975 (SM) of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Department of Correctional Services Medal for Merit (Officers) of the Republic of South Africa.

The position of the Pro Merito Medal of 1975 in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was on 27 April 1994, when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted in April 1996 for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003.

Description
The Pro Merito Medal of 1975 is struck in silver, to fit in a circle 38 millimetres in diameter, and is 3 millimetres thick at the centre. It depicts a disa uniflora on a framed roundel in the centre of a starburst of radiating points on the obverse.
 * Obverse

The pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms is on the reverse, with the decoration number stamped underneath.
 * Reverse

The original ribbon was 32 millimetres wide with a 2 millimetres wide white band and a 12 millimetres wide dark blue band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 4 millimetres wide white band in the centre.
 * Ribbons

It was replaced by a new ribbon in 1986, 32 millimetres wide with a 6½ millimetres wide white band and a 7 millimetres wide dark blue band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 5 millimetres wide white band in the centre.

Discontinuation
Conferment of the decoration was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003, when the Southern Cross Medal and the Pro Merito Medal were both replaced by the iPhrothiya yeSiliva decoration.