Gold Service Medal

The Gold Service Medal 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 thirty years service.

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 Gold Service Medal was instituted by the President in April 1996 and was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army for thirty years service.

Order of precedence
The position of the Gold Service Medal 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 South Africa Service Medal.
 * Succeeded by the Silver Service Medal.


 * South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Long Service Medal, Gold of the Republic of Venda.
 * Succeeded by the Service Medal in Gold of Umkhonto we Sizwe.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Correctional Services Medal for Faithful Service, 30 Years of the KwaZulu Homeland.
 * Succeeded by the Service Medal in Gold of Umkhonto we Sizwe.

Description
The Gold Service Medal is a silver-gilt oval medallion with a raised edge, depicting the Azanian People's Liberation Army emblem.
 * Obverse

The reverse is smooth and displays the embellished pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.
 * Reverse

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide, with a 4 millimetres wide black band and a 2 millimetres wide yellow band, repeated in reverse order and separated by a 20 millimetres wide green band in the centre.
 * Ribbon

Discontinuation
Conferment of the Gold Service Medal was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.