Pro Merito Decoration

• Name — Pro Merito Decoration • Presenter — the State President and, from 1994, the President • Country — South Africa South Africa • Type — Military decoration for merit • Eligibility — Other ranks • Awarded For — Outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty • Status — Discontinued in 2003 • Post Nominals — PMD • Established — 1975 • Firstawarded — 1976 • Precedence Label — SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear • Higher — * SADF precedence: • Southern Cross Decoration • SANDF precedence: • Southern Cross Decoration • Lower — * SADF succession: • Van Riebeeck Medal • SANDF succession: • Conspicuous Leadership Star • Image2 — * Illustration — x29px • Caption2 — Ribbon bar

The Union Defence Forces (UDF) were established in 1912 and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1958. On 27 April 1994, it was integrated with six other independent forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).

The Pro Merito Decoration, post-nominal letters PMD, was instituted by the State President on 1 July 1975.

The position of the Pro Merito Decoration in the official order of precedence was revised three times after 1975 to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, again in April 1996, when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and finally upon the institution of a new set of awards on 27 April 2003. • South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994: • Illustration — Southern Cross Decoration (SD) • Illustration — Pro Merito Decoration (PMD) • Illustration — Van Riebeeck Medal (VRM) • Official SADF order of precedence: • Preceded by the Southern Cross Decoration (SD). • Succeeded by the Van Riebeeck Medal (VRM). • Official national order of precedence: • Preceded by the Southern Cross Decoration (SD). • Succeeded by the Police Star for Distinguished Service (SOO). • South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994: • Illustration — Southern Cross Decoration (SD) • Illustration — Pro Merito Decoration (PMD) • Illustration — Defence Force Merit Decoration • Official SANDF order of precedence: • Preceded by the Southern Cross Decoration (SD) of the Republic of South Africa. • Succeeded by the Defence Force Merit Decoration of the Republic of Bophuthatswana. • Official national order of precedence: • Preceded by the Southern Cross Decoration (SD) of the Republic of South Africa. • Succeeded by the Police Star for Distinguished Service (SOO) of the Republic of South Africa. • South African National Defence Force from April 1996: • Illustration — Southern Cross Decoration (SD) • Illustration — Pro Merito Decoration (PMD) • Illustration — Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS) • Official SANDF order of precedence: • Preceded by the Southern Cross Decoration (SD) of the Republic of South Africa. • Succeeded by the Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS) of Umkhonto we Sizwe. • Official national order of precedence: • Preceded by the Southern Cross Decoration (SD) of the Republic of South Africa. • Succeeded by the Conspicuous Leadership Star (CLS) of Umkhonto we Sizwe. The position of the Pro Merito Decoration in the order of precedence remained unchanged, as it was in April 1996, when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted on 27 April 2003.

Conferment of the decoration was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003, when the Southern Cross Decoration and the Pro Merito Decoration were both replaced by the new iPhrothiya yeGolide.