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Nkwe ya Boronse
Bronze Leopard
TypeMilitary decoration for bravery
Awarded forActs of bravery during military operations or exceptional combat leadership
Country South Africa
Presented bythe President
EligibilityAll ranks
Post-nominalsNB
StatusCurrent
Established27 April 2003
First awarded2008
Total14
Total awarded posthumously3
Ribbon bar
Order of wear
Next (higher)Distinguished Gallantry Medal
Next (lower)Ad Astra Decoration

The Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard, post-nominal letters NB, is a military decoration for bravery which was instituted in 2003. It is South Africa's third highest military decoration for bravery.[1][2][3]

Institution

The Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard, post-nominal letters NB, was instituted by the President of the Republic of South Africa on 16 April 2003 and came into effect on 27 April 2003. The bilingual title of the decoration is in Sepedi and English. It is the junior of a set of three military decorations for bravery, along with the Nkwe ya Gauta - Golden Leopard and the Nkwe ya Selefera - Silver Leopard.[1][2][3][4]

Award criteria

The Nkwe ya Boronse can be awarded to all ranks of the South African National Defence Force and of any Auxiliary Service of the SANDF, and of any Armed Forces attached to or serving with or rendering any service to the SANDF, who have distinguished themselves by performing acts of bravery on a single occasion or over a period of time during military operations, or for exceptional combat leadership.[1][3]

Bar to the Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard

A Bar may be awarded for every subsequent action which would make recipients eligible for the award of the same decoration. The decoration and Bar may be awarded posthumously.[1]

Guidelines, consisting of appropriate phrases which may be useful when writing a citation for the award of the Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard, have been published by the South African Defence Department. The exceptional combat leadership criteria were apparently added after the Battle of Bangui in the Central African Republic from 22 to 24 March 2013.[3]

First recipients:
CPO N.C. Smith NB CN,
WO2 I. du Plessis NB PB and
WO2 J. van Nieuwholtz NB PB
For acts of bravery
  • Distinguished conduct.
  • Distinguished above others.
  • Incident or different incidents.
  • Sustained high performance.
  • More than normal.
  • Positive conduct sheet.
  • Creative.
  • Initiative.
For exceptional combat leadership
  • Incidents or deeds depicting outstanding leadership qualities.
  • Result of operation in favour of the SANDF.
  • Create trust amongst fellow soldiers.
  • Places a high premium on the prevention of the loss of lives.
  • Careful execution of the operational plan.

Order of wear

Main article: South African military decorations order of wear § Order of wear

The position of the Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard in the official military and national orders of precedence is as follows:[5]

Distinguished Gallantry Medal Nkwe ya Boronse (NB) Ad Astra Decoration (AAD)

Official military order of precedence
Official national order of precedence
  • Preceded by the Medal for Valour in the Prisons Service of the Republic of Bophuthatswana.
  • Succeeded by the Mendi Decoration for Bravery, Bronze (MDB) of the Republic of South Africa.

Description

Obverse

The Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard is a five-armed cross pattée, struck in bronze, with a diameter of 38 millimetres. The extremities of the arms of the cross are embowed, with their flat surfaces urdy and their corners concave, with each pair of arms of the cross separated by three short rays. In the centre of the obverse is a light blue enamel roundel, 19 millimetres in diameter, with a bronze leopard's head.[1][2]

Bar button and insignia for the Army, Air Force, Navy and Military Health Service
Reverse

The reverse bears, in relief, the coat of arms of South Africa. The decoration is attached to a plain bronze suspender, fixed to the upper arm of the decoration. The medal number is stamped or engraved below the coat of arms.[1]

Ribbon

The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and sky blue, with 6 millimetres wide light brown edges.[1] The blue represents the feathers of the blue crane, which Xhosa kings used to present to brave warriors.

Bar

The Bar for subsequent conferments of the Nkwe ya Boronse - Bronze Leopard is 33 millimetres in length and 5 millimetres high, struck in bronze and embossed in the centre with a replica of the decoration. When only a ribbon bar is worn, a button replica of the decoration, 8 millimetres in diameter and struck in bronze, is affixed to the ribbon bar.

Insignia

Award of the decoration for service in active military operations, is indicated by distinguishing insignia which indicate the arm of the service in which the recipient was serving at the time of the action for which the decoration was conferred. The insignia are struck in bronze and worn on the ribbon, above any bars which may have been awarded.

Recipients

In respect of those recipients about whom it is available, the actions they were cited for follow below the table, since inclusion in the table itself is impractical.

Name Rank NS no. Date of action Unit Service
Arm 		Photo
van Nieuwholtz, J. PB [a] WO2 001 27 Nov 2008 Diving Sch SA Navy
Du Plessis, Ivor PB [a] CPO 002 27 Nov 2008 Diving Sch SA Navy
Smith, N.C. CN [a] CPO 003 27 Nov 2008 Diving Sch SA Navy
Silva, Michel [b] Maj 007 22 Mar 2013 Inf Fmn SA Army
Jiyana, Stephen [b] Maj 012 22 Mar 2013 1 Para Bn SA Army
Rabilwana, Mphetshanga Wilson CM MMM [b] WO2 006 22 Mar 2013 5 SFR SA Army
Nkosi, Big-Boy Alphios [b] S Sgt 011 22 Mar 2013 5 SFR SA Army
Mampa, Serole Colman [b] Sgt 022 22 Mar 2013 7 Med Bn Gp SAMHS
Ngobese, Mandla Maxwell [b] Cpl 009 22 Mar 2013 7 Med Bn Gp SAMHS
Nkoana, Molatelo Alphina [b] Cpl 015 22 Mar 2013 7 Med Bn Gp SAMHS
Smith, Shane Jacque Donavon [b] L Cpl 008 22 Mar 2013 44 Para Reg SA Army
Bojane, Motsamai William † [b] Rfn 013 22 Mar 2013 1 Para Bn SA Army
Mxhosana, Zamani Jim † [b] Rfn 014 22 Mar 2013 1 Para Bn SA Army
Moloke, Khotso Lucas † [b] Rfn 024 22 Mar 2013 1 Para Bn SA Army

Note 1:  † denotes a posthumous award.

Actions cited for

  1. ^ a b c Operation Bapisa – The clearing of unexploded ordnance from 26 March to 27 April 2007.[6][7]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Battle of Bangui – Awarded for actions during the Battle of Bangui in the Central African Republic from 22 to 24 March 2013.[8][9][10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Presidential Warrant by the President of the Republic of South Africa for the Institution of Honours for Bravery in the South African National Defence Force, Gazette no. 25213 dated 25 July 2003.
  2. ^ a b c South African Medals Website - South African National Defence Force (Accessed 1 May 2015)
  3. ^ a b c d Nkwe ya Boronzi (sic) (NB) (Bravery Award Bronze)
  4. ^ Republic of South Africa Government Gazette Vol. 477, no. 27376, Pretoria, 11 March 2005, OCLC 72827981
  5. ^ "Media release". 26 November 2008.
  6. ^ SA Navy Bravery Awards November 2008
  7. ^ SANDF Armed Forces Day Parade, 21 February 2014 - Decoration and Medal Recipients, Battle of Bangui
  8. ^ Zuma awards medals to Battle of Bangui soldiers in celebration of Armed Forces Day
  9. ^ The Battle in Bangui: The untold inside story. By Helmoed Heitman.
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