Southern Cross Medal

• Name — Southern Cross Medal (1975) • Presenter — the State President and, from 1994, the President • Country — South Africa • Type — Military decoration for merit • Eligibility — Officers • Awarded For — Exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty • Status — Discontinued in 2003 • Post Nominals — SM • Established — 1975 • Firstawarded — 1976 • Precedence Label — SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear • Higher — * SADF precedence: • Pro Merito Medal (1967) • SANDF precedence: • Distinguished Service Medal, Silver • Lower — * SADF succession: • Pro Merito Medal (1975) • SANDF succession: • Pro Merito Medal (1975) • Image2 — * Illustration — x29px • Illustration — x29px • Caption2 — 1975 and 1986 ribbon bars

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 Southern Cross Medal of 1975, post-nominal letters SM, was instituted by the State President on 1 July 1975 and replaced the Southern Cross Medal of 1952.

The position of the Southern Cross Medal of 1975 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 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. Its position remained unchanged, as it was on 27 April 1994, upon the latter two occasions. • South African Defence Force until 26 April 1994: • Illustration — Pro Merito Medal (1967) (PMM) • Illustration — Southern Cross Medal (1975) (SM) • Illustration — Pro Merito Medal (1975) (PMM) • Official SADF order of precedence: • Preceded by the Pro Merito Medal (1967) (PMM). • Succeeded by the Pro Merito Medal (1975) (PMM). • Official national order of precedence: • Preceded by the Medal for Merit in the South African Prisons Service. • Succeeded by the Pro Merito Medal (1975) (PMM). • South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994: • Illustration — Distinguished Service Medal, Silver • Illustration — Southern Cross Medal (1975) (SM) • Illustration — Pro Merito Medal (1975) (PMM) • Official SANDF order of precedence: • Preceded by the Distinguished Service Medal, Silver of the Republic of Venda. • Succeeded by the Pro Merito Medal (1975) (PMM) of the Republic of South Africa. • Official national order of precedence: • Preceded by the Medal for Merit in the Prisons Service of the Republic of South Africa. • Succeeded by the Pro Merito Medal (1975) (PMM) of the Republic of South Africa.

Conferment of the decoration was discontinued in respect of services performed on or after 27 April 2003, when the Southern Cross Medal was replaced by the iPhrothiya yeSiliva (PS).