Bronze Medal for Merit

The Bronze Medal for Merit, post-nominal letters BMM, 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 service of a high order 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 Bronze Medal for Merit, post-nominal letters BMM, was instituted by the President in April 1996 and was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army who had rendered service of a high order during The Struggle.

Order of precedence
The position of the Bronze Medal for Merit 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 Silver Medal for Merit (SMM).
 * Succeeded by the Operational Medal for Southern Africa.


 * South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Transkei Defence Force Medal of the Republic of Transkei.
 * Succeeded by the Merit Medal in Bronze (MMB) of Umkhonto we Sizwe.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Transkei Defence Force Medal of the Republic of Transkei.
 * Succeeded by the Merit Medal in Bronze (MMB) of Umkhonto we Sizwe.

Description
The Bronze Medal for Merit is struck in bronze and has an engrailed edge that has nine points, to fit in a circle 38 millimetres in diameter. It depicts the Azanian People's Liberation Army emblem and a protea flower in each of the nine points.
 * Obverse

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and dark blue, with two 6 millimetres wide dark yellow bands in the centre, spaced 4 millimetres apart.
 * Ribbon

Discontinuation
Conferment of the Bronze Medal for Merit was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.