Nkwe Medal

The Nkwe Medal was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1990, for award to all ranks for operational service.

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 Nkwe Medal (Leopard Medal) was instituted by the State President in 1990 for award to all ranks for operational service.

Order of precedence
Since the Nkwe 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.


 * Bophuthatswana Defence Force until 26 April 1994:
 * Official BDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Marumo Medal, Class II.
 * Succeeded by the General Service Medal.


 * Bophuthatswana official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Police Medal for Combating Terrorism.
 * Succeeded by the General Service Medal.


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Defence Medal of the Republic of Ciskei.
 * Succeeded by the General Service Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Defence Medal of the Republic of Ciskei.
 * Succeeded by the General Service Medal of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.

The position of the Nkwe Medal 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 Nkwe Medal is an octagonal medal struck in nickel-silver, to fit inside a circle 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim, depicting a prowling leopard.
 * 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 red band, a 2 millimetres wide white band and a 4 millimetres wide red band, repeated and separated by a 12 millimetres wide dark yellow band in the centre.
 * Ribbon

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