General Service Medal (Venda)

The General Service Medal was instituted by the President of the Republic of Venda in 1985, for award to all ranks for service in defence of Venda or in the prevention or suppression of terrorism.

The Venda Defence Force
The 900 member Venda Defence Force (VDF) was established upon that country's independence on 13 September 1979. It initially consisted of two infantry battalions with one armored personnel carrier and one engineering unit, and an air wing with three helicopters.

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

The Republic of Venda ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Venda 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 (BDF) of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
 * The Venda Defence Force.
 * 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 President in 1985 and was awarded to all ranks for service in defence of Venda or in the prevention or suppression of terrorism.

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.


 * Venda Defence Force until 26 April 1994:
 * Official VDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Venda Defence Force Medal.
 * Succeeded by the Independence Medal.


 * Venda official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the National Force Medal for Combating Terrorism.
 * Succeeded by the Police Medal for Combating Terrorism.


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Pro Patria Medal of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Southern Africa Medal of the Republic of South Africa.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Police Medal for Maintenance of Law and Order of the Republic of Ciskei.
 * Succeeded by the Police Medal for Combating Terrorism of the Republic of Venda.

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, but it remained unchanged on both occasions.

Description
The General Service Medal is a medallion struck in bronze, 38 millimetres in diameter, depicting an elephant's head above two crossed battle-axes.
 * Obverse

The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Venda.
 * Reverse

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide with a 2 millimetres wide yellow band, a 7 millimetres wide brown band and a 2 millimetres wide yellow band, repeated and separated by a 10 millimetres wide green band.
 * Ribbon

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