- Time Period: Post-WW2
- Institution: 1952
- Country: South Africa
The Star of South Africa, denoted by the post-nominal letters SSA, was a military honor established by the Union of South Africa between 1952 and 1975 to recognize exceptional merit. It was conferred upon general and flag officers of the South African Defence Force for their exceptionally meritorious service. However, it was discontinued on July 1, 1975, coinciding with the introduction of a new set of orders, decorations, and medals.
The Star of South Africa was granted to general and flag officers in recognition of their remarkable service. Essentially, it replaced the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), which had been awarded to senior South African officers during World War II.
The Star of South Africa Medal Design
The Star of South Africa was crafted in silver and comprised eight five-pointed stars of various sizes, arranged in layers to fit within a 50-millimeter diameter circle.
On the reverse side, the decoration displayed the pre-1994 South African coat of arms. Specimens awarded before South Africa’s republic status on May 31, 1961, featured Queen Elizabeth’s royal cipher (E II R) above the coat of arms.
The decoration was worn around the neck on an orange ribbon, measuring 44 millimeters in width. It featured three green bands in the center, each 3 millimeters wide and spaced 6 millimeters apart.
