South African orders and decorations
Encyclopedia
An overview of the South Africa
n honours system.
, the colonial military forces received decorations from the British government.
From 1894, the colonial governments were allowed to award military long service medals themselves. This system continued after the colonies became the Union of South Africa
in 1910, and after World War I
the Union government extended it to create entirely new medals, for Anglo-Boer War veterans
(in 1920), the prisons department
(in 1922), the police
(in 1923), and the railways police
(in 1934).
After South Africa had become independent as a dominion
in 1931, the British monarchs, in their capacity as South African head of state, instituted royal medals for the police
in 1937, and for civilians
and the defence force
in 1939.
This arrangement lasted until 1952.
. They were given precedence over British honours.
The honours system was enlarged during the 1960s, after South African had become a republic. New decorations were instituted for the police
in 1963, for the railways police
in 1966, for sports stars
in 1967, for the prisons service
in 1968, and for civilians
in 1970.
Evidently the government was not satisfied, because during the 1970s and 1980s, it virtually re-created the honours system, scrapping most of the existing awards and creating new ones in their place. The number of decorations and medals granted was increased substantially.
New military decorations
were introduced in 1975. They were followed by civil defence medals
in 1976, additional police decorations
in 1979, new prisons service medals
and railways police decorations
in 1980, and decorations for the intelligence service
in 1981.
During this period too, the ten African "homelands" inside South Africa were granted self-government or, in four cases, so-called "independence". Each of them had its own decorations and medals quite separate from the mainstream honours system. The homelands and their decorations and medals became obsolete when South Africa was reconstituted in 1994.
The new government retained the civil, military and police awards as an interim measure, and added new series of decorations for the former liberation armies
in 1996.
, to which a series of military decorations
was added in 2003, a series of police decorations
in 2004, and a series of intelligence service decorations
in 2005.
A new table of precedence was issued in 2005, to consolidate all the post-1952 South African and homeland awards (more than 300 of them) into a single system.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n honours system.
1894-1952
The British honours system became applicable to South Africa as colonial rule was established in the region during the nineteenth century. From the 1870s onwards, colonial politicians and other public figures featured in the semi-annual honours lists, and during colonial wars and the Anglo-Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, the colonial military forces received decorations from the British government.
From 1894, the colonial governments were allowed to award military long service medals themselves. This system continued after the colonies became the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
in 1910, and after World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the Union government extended it to create entirely new medals, for Anglo-Boer War veterans
South African military decorations
An overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1894–1913:The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial governments awarded medals for distinguished conduct and for long...
(in 1920), the prisons department
South African prisons decorations
An overview of South African prisons service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1922-1968:The Prisons Department was established in 1911. It was a civil service department, with uniformed warders...
(in 1922), the police
South African police decorations
An overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
(in 1923), and the railways police
South African police decorations
An overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
(in 1934).
After South Africa had become independent as a dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
in 1931, the British monarchs, in their capacity as South African head of state, instituted royal medals for the police
South African police decorations
An overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
in 1937, and for civilians
South African civil honours
An overview of South African civil orders, decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-Union of South Africa:The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, as a self-governing dominion in the British Empire...
and the defence force
South African military decorations
An overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1894–1913:The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial governments awarded medals for distinguished conduct and for long...
in 1939.
This arrangement lasted until 1952.
1952-2002
In 1952, to mark the 300th anniversary of European settlement, the South African government established its own honours system. It consisted of the existing civil, police, railways police and prisons medals, and a new series of military decorationsSouth African military decorations
An overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1894–1913:The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial governments awarded medals for distinguished conduct and for long...
. They were given precedence over British honours.
The honours system was enlarged during the 1960s, after South African had become a republic. New decorations were instituted for the police
South African police decorations
An overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
in 1963, for the railways police
South African police decorations
An overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
in 1966, for sports stars
South African civil honours
An overview of South African civil orders, decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-Union of South Africa:The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, as a self-governing dominion in the British Empire...
in 1967, for the prisons service
South African prisons decorations
An overview of South African prisons service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1922-1968:The Prisons Department was established in 1911. It was a civil service department, with uniformed warders...
in 1968, and for civilians
South African civil honours
An overview of South African civil orders, decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-Union of South Africa:The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, as a self-governing dominion in the British Empire...
in 1970.
Evidently the government was not satisfied, because during the 1970s and 1980s, it virtually re-created the honours system, scrapping most of the existing awards and creating new ones in their place. The number of decorations and medals granted was increased substantially.
New military decorations
South African military decorations
An overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1894–1913:The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial governments awarded medals for distinguished conduct and for long...
were introduced in 1975. They were followed by civil defence medals
South African civil honours
An overview of South African civil orders, decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-Union of South Africa:The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, as a self-governing dominion in the British Empire...
in 1976, additional police decorations
South African police decorations
An overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
in 1979, new prisons service medals
South African prisons decorations
An overview of South African prisons service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1922-1968:The Prisons Department was established in 1911. It was a civil service department, with uniformed warders...
and railways police decorations
South African police decorations
An overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
in 1980, and decorations for the intelligence service
South African intelligence service decorations
An overview of South African intelligence service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-National Intelligence Service:...
in 1981.
During this period too, the ten African "homelands" inside South Africa were granted self-government or, in four cases, so-called "independence". Each of them had its own decorations and medals quite separate from the mainstream honours system. The homelands and their decorations and medals became obsolete when South Africa was reconstituted in 1994.
The new government retained the civil, military and police awards as an interim measure, and added new series of decorations for the former liberation armies
South African military decorations
An overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1894–1913:The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial governments awarded medals for distinguished conduct and for long...
in 1996.
2002–
A new honours system was inaugurated in 2002, as part of the process of creating new national symbols. It was launched with civilian ordersSouth African civil honours
An overview of South African civil orders, decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-Union of South Africa:The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, as a self-governing dominion in the British Empire...
, to which a series of military decorations
South African military decorations
An overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1894–1913:The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial governments awarded medals for distinguished conduct and for long...
was added in 2003, a series of police decorations
South African police decorations
An overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
in 2004, and a series of intelligence service decorations
South African intelligence service decorations
An overview of South African intelligence service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-National Intelligence Service:...
in 2005.
A new table of precedence was issued in 2005, to consolidate all the post-1952 South African and homeland awards (more than 300 of them) into a single system.
See also
- Orders, decorations, and medals of South Africa
- British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
- South African civil honoursSouth African civil honoursAn overview of South African civil orders, decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-Union of South Africa:The Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, as a self-governing dominion in the British Empire...
- South African intelligence service decorationsSouth African intelligence service decorationsAn overview of South African intelligence service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-National Intelligence Service:...
- South African military decorationsSouth African military decorationsAn overview of South African military decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1894–1913:The colonial military forces received British military decorations in wartime. From 1894, the colonial governments awarded medals for distinguished conduct and for long...
- South African police decorationsSouth African police decorationsAn overview of South African police decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-South African Police:The South African Police was established in 1913 as a national police force...
- South African prisons decorationsSouth African prisons decorationsAn overview of South African prisons service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.-1922-1968:The Prisons Department was established in 1911. It was a civil service department, with uniformed warders...