Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold

The Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold was instituted by the State President of the Republic of Bophuthatswana in 1982, for award to all ranks as a long service medal for thirty years service and good conduct.

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 Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold was instituted by the State President in 1982 for award to all ranks for thirty years service and good conduct.

Order of precedence
Since the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold 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 Independence Medal.
 * Succeeded by the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Silver.


 * Bophuthatswana official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Police Star for Merit.
 * Succeeded by the Medal for Faithful Service in the Prisons Service, Gold.


 * South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994:
 * Official SANDF order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Good Service Medal, Gold of the Republic of South Africa.
 * Succeeded by the Long Service Medal, Gold of the Republic of Venda.


 * Official national order of precedence:
 * Preceded by the Prisons Medal for Faithful Service, Silver of the Republic of Transkei.
 * Succeeded by the Police Star for Merit of the KwaZulu Homeland.

The position of the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold 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 Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold is a silver-gilt medallion, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim, with a 4 millimetres wide raised rim and displaying the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bophuthatswana. The suspender depicts the horns of the Malete (African buffalo).
 * Obverse

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and dark yellow, with a 6 millimetres wide green band in the centre.
 * Ribbon

Discontinuation
Conferment of the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct, Gold was discontinued when the Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.