South Africa | General Service Medal | SADF | Numbered 017979 | 1987

South Africa | General Service Medal | SADF | Numbered 017979 | 1987

A small medal bearing the marks of a complicated chapter in South African history.

The Republic of South Africa General Service Medal was instituted in 1987 to recognise qualifying operational service by members of the South African Defence Force within South Africa, retrospectively from 1 January 1983. Its history is closely associated with the final decade of apartheid, when the Defence Force took part in counter-insurgency and internal security operations, including deployments during the states of emergency of the 1980s. The award was discontinued in 2003.

The medal is struck in nickel silver, with the South African Defence Force castle emblem within a laurel wreath on the obverse. The reverse carries the former Republic of South Africa coat of arms, surrounded by the bilingual inscriptions "GENERAL SERVICE" and "ALGEMENE DIENS"; the individual medal number, 017979, appears beneath the arms. The suspender has decorative leaf-shaped arms beneath a straight ribbon bar. No ribbon is present.

The medal is in good condition, with light surface wear and handling marks consistent with age, and no dents or significant damage. It is complete with its suspender but is offered without a ribbon.

Key Details

• Award: Republic of South Africa General Service Medal (Algemene Diensmedalje)
• Instituted: 1987; qualifying service from 1 January 1983; award discontinued in 2003
• Awarded to: qualifying members of the South African Defence Force
• Material: nickel silver
• Number: 017979 (reverse)
• Recipient: unidentified; medal unnamed
• Ribbon: absent
• Dimensions: 5.6 × 3.7 × 0.2 cm (including suspender)
• Weight: 27 g
• Condition: good; light surface wear and handling marks; ribbon absent
• Buyer profile: collectors of South African military medals and militaria

Collector Appeal

The individually stamped number distinguishes this medal from otherwise identical examples, although its recipient has not been identified. The bilingual inscription, former national arms and SADF insignia place it within a specific period of South African military history.

History rarely fits in the hand; this piece of it does.