[5] For South Africa, the Africa Service Medal was instituted on 23 December 1943 by King George VI in his capacity as South African head of state, and was awarded in addition to the British campaign stars and medals awarded for the war.

[2][3][4] To qualify for the medal, a member of those services must have volunteered for war service outside South Africa and must have served, either at home or abroad,[6] between South Africa's declaration of war on 6 September 1939 and 2 September 1945 inclusive, continuously for thirty days or part-time for at least eighteen hours in non continuous training.

Naval forces and seconded personnel served in the Mediterranean from 1941 to 1945, Greece in 1941, the Arctic convoys from 1941 to 1945, the Java Sea in 1942, Sicily in 1943, the Indian Ocean from 1943 to 1945, the D-Day invasion in 1944, and the Pacific in 1945.

[2] South African Second World War ex-servicemen referred to the ribbon of this medal as Ouma's Garter.

[7] The nickname was a tribute to her unstinting efforts to supply the South African troops with home comforts.

The King's Commendation (South Africa) (1939–45), denoted by a bronze King Protea flower emblem, was authorised to be worn on the ribbon of the Africa Service Medal and could be awarded for valuable services in connection with the Second World War.