South African intelligence service decorations

An overview of South African intelligence service decorations and medals, which form part of the South African honours system.

National Intelligence Service
The National Intelligence Service was established in 1963 as Republican Intelligence, a branch of the South African Police. It became a separate service, the Bureau for State Security, in 1968, and was renamed the Directorate of National Security in 1979 and the National Intelligence Service in 1980.

A series of decorations and medals was instituted for the NIS in 1981. It was enlarged in 1987 and 1990.




 * Decorations


 * NIS Decoration for Distinguished Leadership (ED) (1981–94)
 * NIS Cross for Valour (CV) (1981–94)
 * NIS Decoration for Outstanding Leadership (OD) (1981–94)
 * NIS Civil Decoration (1981–94)
 * NIS Decoration (1981–94)
 * NIS Medal for Distinguished Service (1981–94)
 * NIS Civil Medal (1990–94)


 * Long service medal


 * NIS Medal for Faithful Service (1981–94)

The NIS was superseded in 1994 by the National Intelligence Agency and the South African Secret Service.

National Intelligence Agency and SA Secret Service
A new series of decorations and medals was instituted in 2005 for members of the National Intelligence Agency and the South African Secret Service (collectively referred to as the "Intelligence Services"):




 * Decorations


 * Intelligence Services Medal for Valour (South Africa) (MV) (2005- )
 * Intelligence Services Outstanding Leadership Medal (South Africa) (OLM) (2005- )
 * Intelligence Services Distinguished Service Medal (South Africa) (2005- )


 * Long service medal


 * Intelligence Services Loyal Service Medal (2005- )