Decoration for Meritorious Services

Summary

The Decoration for Meritorious Services was an honour conferred until 1987 by the Government of the Republic of South Africa, usually for political services to the country. The appointments were made by the State President of South Africa.

Decoration for Meritorious Services
Presented byState President of South Africa
StatusReplaced in 1986
Last awarded1986
Total recipients109
DMS as presented to Casper Hendrik Rautenbach

Postnominal letters edit

The conferral of this honour entitles the holder to the use of 'DMS' (or Afrikaans: DVD) after their name.

It was superseded by the Order for Meritorious Service in 1986.[1]

Since 1 June 1994, this honour is classified as a Commonwealth honour.

Design edit

A five-armed gold Maltese cross, displaying a golden protea flower on a blue roundel in the centre of a 5-pointed diamond-studded star, all superimposed on a multi-rayed silver and gold plaque (obverse). It is worn on a neck ribbon.[2]

Selected recipients edit

Name Year No
P. W. Botha
Pik Botha
Bettie Cilliers-Barnard 1983 No. 86
F. W. de Klerk
Johannes de Klerk
Nico Diederichs
Jim Fouché
Owen Horwood
Gerhardus Petrus Jooste 1985
Piet Koornhof
Douglas Mitchell 1974 No. 8
Hilgard Muller 1976 No. 15
Ian Player
Frans Lourens Herman Rumpff
Casper Hendrik Rautenbach 1980 No.46
Charles Robberts Swart 1972
Marais Viljoen

References edit

  1. ^ Dr S. Monick. "PROFILE OF A RESEARCH PROJECT: THE MEDAL PUBLICATIONS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MILITARY HISTORY". Scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  2. ^ Arthur Radburn. "SA: Civil 1967-2002". Samw.hwmw.net46.net. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2012.