The Bronze Medal for Merit, post-nominal letters BMM, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for service of a high order during the "struggle".South African Medal Website - Liberation armies (Accessed 30 April 2015)South African Medal Website - Post-nominal Letters (Accessed 28 April 2015)
Azanian People's Liberation Army The Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) was the para-military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). It was established in 1961 to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South Africa. On 27 April 1994, the Azanian People's Liberation Army was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).Warrant 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.
Institution The Bronze Medal for Merit, post-nominal letters BMM, was instituted by the President of South Africa in April 1996. It is the junior award of a set of three decorations for merit, along with the Gold Decoration for Merit and the Silver Medal for Merit.
The Azanian People's Liberation Army's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the South African Defence Force. These three decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Southern Cross Decoration and Pro Merito Decoration, the Southern Cross Medal (1975) and Pro Merito Medal (1975), and the Military Merit Medal.
Award criteria The decoration could be awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army who had rendered service of a high order during the "struggle".
Order of wear
The position of the Bronze Medal for Merit in the official military and national orders of precedence was revised upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003, but it remained unchanged.Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, Presidential Warrant by the President of the Republic of South Africa for the Institution of Honours for Bravery in the South African National Defence Force, Gazette no. 25213 dated 25 July 2003.
Azanian People's Liberation Army
Official APLA order of precedence: Preceded by the Silver Medal for Merit (SMM). Succeeded by the Operational Medal for Southern Africa.
South African National Defence Force until 26 April 2003
Official SANDF order of precedence: Preceded by the Transkei Defence Force Medal of the Republic of Transkei. Succeeded by the Merit Medal in Bronze (MMB) of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Official national order of precedence: Preceded by the Transkei Defence Force Medal of the Republic of Transkei. Succeeded by the Merit Medal in Bronze (MMB) of Umkhonto we Sizwe.
Description Obverse The Bronze Medal for Merit was struck in bronze and has an engrailed edge which has nine points, to fit in a circle 38 millimetres in diameter. It depicts the Azanian People's Liberation Army emblem and a protea flower in each of the nine points.Apla Merit Medal with miniature
Ribbon The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and dark blue, with two 6 millimetres wide dark yellow bands in the centre, spaced 4 millimetres apart.
Discontinuation Conferment of the Bronze Medal for Merit was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.
References