Defence Force Commendation Medal

The Bophuthatswana Defence Force (BDF) was established upon that country's independence on 6 December 1977. The Republic of Bophuthatswana ceased to exist on 27 April 1994 and the Bophuthatswana Defence Force was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).^[4][5][6]

The Defence Force Commendation Medal was instituted by the State President of Bophuthatswana in 1982. It is the junior award of a set of three decorations for merit, along with the Defence Force Merit Decoration and the Defence Force Merit Medal.^[1][3]

Bophuthatswana's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the Republic of South Africa and 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.^[1]

The medal could be awarded to all ranks for service of a high standard.^[1][3]

Since the Defence Force Commendation Medal was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which came to be part of the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date.^[1][7]

Bophuthatswana Defence Force until 26 April 1994

• Official BDF order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Marumo Medal, Class I.
  • Succeeded by the Marumo Medal, Class II.^[1]
• Bophuthatswana official national order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Medal of the Order of the Leopard.
  • Succeeded by the Marumo Medal, Class II.^[1]

South African National Defence Force from 27 April 1994

• Official SANDF order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the Military Merit Medal (MMM) of the Republic of South Africa.
  • Succeeded by the Defence Force Medal of the Republic of Venda.^[1]
• Official national order of precedence:
  • Preceded by the National Intelligence Service Decoration, Bronze of the Republic of South Africa.
  • Succeeded by the Defence Force Medal of the Republic of Venda.^[1]

The position of the Defence Force Commendation 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, 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.^[1]