Order of Mendi for Bravery

The Order of Mendi for Bravery is a South African honour, ^[1] instituted on 30 November 2003. It was originally called the "Mendi Decoration for Bravery", and was renamed as an order on 22 October 2004.

The order is granted by the president of South Africa, for bravery in saving life or property. It has three classes:

• Gold (OMBG), for conspicuous bravery.
• Silver (OMBS), for exceptional bravery,
• Bronze (OMBB), for outstanding bravery.

The order is named after a World War I troopship, the SS Mendi, which sank after a collision in 1917, with the loss of more than 600 (black) South African troops.

The badge of the order is oval, On the obverse is an oval African shield, depicting the Mendi with a blue crane bird flying overhead. Behind the shield are a crossed assegai and knobkierrie (war club), and the whole design is surrounded by a border decorated with lion pawprints. The reverse displays the Coat of Arms of South Africa. The ribbon is gold, dotted with outlines of lion pawprints, alternately left and right.

Although this is primarily a civilian honour, there have been a few military awards, including a collective award to the South African Air Force and South African Navy units which rescued the passengers from a sinking ocean liner in 1991, and a collective award to SAAF units which carried out flood relief operations in Mozambique in 2001.

Recipients

2003

• Members of the South African Air Force rescue team involved in the 2000 Mozambique flood - Gold
• Basil February - Gold
• Petros Linda Jabane
• Members of the South African National Defence Force rescue team involved in the 1991 sinking of the Oceanos - Silver
• Sam Nkomo - Silver
• Slabbert Leonard - Silver

2004

• Richard Barney Lekgotla Molokoane - Gold
• Jimmy Booysen - Silver
• Etienne Gunter

2005

• Solomon Mahlangu - Gold
• Grant Nigel Kirkland - Silver
• Simon John Mthombeni - Bronze
• Sheik Yusuf

References

• South African Government Gazette No 25799 (2 December 2003)
• South African Government Gazette No 26929 (25 October 2004)
• South African Government website

See also

• South African civil honours

External links

• South African government website
• South African Medals Website

References

1. ^ "The Order of Mendi for Bravery". The Presidency (Republic of South Africa). Archived from the original on 2007-04-20. http://web.archive.org/web/20070420231656/http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/main.asp?include=orders/main.html#mendi. Retrieved 2007-04-29.