TheMilitary Rule Medalwas instituted by the State President of theRepublic of Transkeito commemorate thebloodless 1987 military coup d'étatwhich overthrew the Transkei government on 30 November 1987.[1][2][3]
| Military Rule Medal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Military commemorative medal |
| Awarded for | Commemoration of the 1987 military coup d'état |
| Country |  Transkei |
| Presented by | the State President |
| Eligibility | All ranks |
| Status | Discontinued in 1994 |
| Established | 1987 |
 Ribbon bar | |
| TDF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear | |
| Next (higher) | TDF precedence:
SANDF precedence:
|
| Next (lower) | TDF succession:
SANDF succession:
|
The Transkei Defence Force
editTheTranskei Defence Force(TDF) was established upon that country's independence on 26 October 1976. The Republic of Transkei ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Transkei Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[3][4][5]
Coup d'état
editOn 30 November 1987, Major GeneralBantu Holomisa,the Chief of the Transkei Defence Force, led a bloodlesscoup d'étatagainst the Transkei government ofPrime MinisterStella Sigcau,suspended the civilian constitution and refused South Africa's repeated demands for a return to civilian rule on the grounds that a civilian government would be a puppet controlled by Pretoria.[3]
Institution
editThe Military Rule Medal was instituted by General Holomisa to commemorate the coup d'état. While the medal is known to have been instituted and awarded, no warrant has yet been traced.[1][6]
Award criteria
editThe medal was awarded to all members of the Transkei Defence Force loyal to the military government.[1][6]
Order of wear
editSince the Military Rule Medal was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which came to be part of theSouth African National Defence Forceon 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date.
- Transkei Defence Force until 26 April 1994
- Official TDF order of precedence:
- Preceded by theIndependence Medal.
- Succeeded by theFaithful Service Medal.[6]
- Transkei official national order of precedence:
- Preceded by the Independence Medal.
- Succeeded by the Police Faithful Service Medal, 35 Years.[6]
- South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994
- Official SANDF order of precedence:
- Preceded by theIndependence Medalof theRepublic of Ciskei.
- Succeeded by theUnitas Medalof theRepublic of South Africa.[6]
- Official national order of precedence:
- Preceded by the KwaNdebele Police Medal.
- Succeeded by the Unitas Medal of the Republic of South Africa.[6]
The position of the Military Rule 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, theAzanian People's Liberation ArmyandUmkhonto we Sizwe,and again when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted in South Africa on 27 April 2003.[6]
Description
edit- Obverse
The Military Rule Medal is a medallion struck in bronze, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim, displaying a crossed R1 automatic military rifle and spear, surrounded by a wreath.[7]
- Reverse
The reverse displays theCoat of Arms of the Republic of Transkei,with the words "MILITARY RULE MEDAL" around the perimeter above and the date "30:11:1987" around the perimeter below.[8]
- Ribbon
The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and green, with a 2 millimetres wide white band, a 2 millimetres wide brown band and a 2 millimetres wide white band in the centre. Brown, white and green are the colours of the Transkei national flag.
Discontinuation
editConferment of the Transkei Defence Force Medal was discontinued when the Republic of Transkei ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.[5]
References
edit- ^abcSouth African Medal Website - Transkei Defence Force(Accessed 30 April 2015)
- ^Republic of Transkei Constitution Act, 1976, Act no. 15 of 1976
- ^abcSouth Africa Homeland Militaries,May 1996(Accessed 1 May 2015)
- ^Peled, Alon (1998),A Question of Loyalty: Military Manpower Policy in Multiethnic States,Cornell Studies in Security Affairs, Ithaca: Cornell University Press, pp.50f,ISBN0-8014-3239-1
- ^abWarrant of the President of the Republic of South Africa for the Institution of the "UNITAS MEDAL-UNITAS-MEDALJE", Gazette no. 16087 dated 25 November 1994.
- ^abcdefgRepublic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005,OCLC72827981
- ^Uniform: SA Army: Former Forces Medals - Transkei Defence Force (TDF)
- ^Reverse of the Military Rule Medal
