Gold Decoration for Merit
The Gold Decoration for Merit, post-nominal letters GDM, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa in April 1996. It was awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army, the military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress, for outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty during the "struggle". Azanian People's Liberation Army. The Azanian People's Liberation Army (APLA) was the para-military wing of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC). It was established in 1961 to wage an armed "struggle" against the Nationalist government inside South Africa. On  27 April 1994, the Azanian People's Liberation Army was amalgamated with six other military forces into the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Institution. The Gold Decoration for Merit, post-nominal letters GDM, was instituted by the President of South Africa in April 1996. It is the senior award of a set of three decorations for merit, along with the Silver Medal for Merit and the Bronze Medal for Merit. The Azanian People's Liberation Army's military decorations and medals were modelled on those of the South African Defence Force 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. Award criteria. The decoration could be awarded to veteran cadres of the Azanian People's Liberation Army for outstanding service and utmost devotion to duty during the "struggle". Order of wear. The position of the Gold Decoration for Merit in the official military and national orders of precedence was revised upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003. The Gold Decoration for Merit is a silver-gilt straight armed cross  with indented ends, which fits in a circle with a diameter of 38 millimetres. The arms of the cross are in white enamel, with the Azanian People's Liberation Army emblem in a dark blue enameled roundel in the centre. The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and dark blue, with two 6 millimetres wide yellow bands in the centre, spaced 4 millimetres apart. Discontinuation. Conferment of the Gold Decoration for Merit was discontinued upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.