Star for Bravery in Silver
The Star for Bravery in Silver, post-nominal letters SBS, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the African National Congress, who had distinguished themselves during the "struggle" by performing acts of bravery.[1][2]
Star for Bravery in Silver
Military decoration for bravery
Bravery
the President
Umkhonto we Sizwe cadres
SBS
The "struggle"
Discontinued in 2003
1996
Umkhonto we Sizwe[edit]
Umkhonto we Sizwe, abbreviated as MK, Zulu for "Spear of the Nation", was the para-military wing of the African National Congress (ANC). It was established on 16 December 1961, to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South Africa. On 27 April 1994, Umkhonto we Sizwe was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).[1][3][4]
Institution[edit]
The Star for Bravery in Silver, post-nominal letters SBS, was instituted by the President of South Africa in April 1996. It is the middle award of a set of three decorations for bravery, along with the Star for Bravery in Gold and the Conspicuous Leadership Star.[1][2][5]
Umkhonto we Sizwe's military decorations and medals were modeled on those of the South African Defence Force and these three decorations are the approximate equivalents of, respectively, the Honoris Crux Gold, the Honoris Crux (1975) and the Pro Virtute Decoration.[5]