[1] The position of the Good Service Medal, Silver in the official order of precedence was revised three times after 1975, to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first upon the integration into the South African National Defence Force in 1994, again when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted in April 1996 for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and finally when a new series of military orders, decorations and medals was instituted on 27 April 2003.

Initially all South African military orders, decorations and medals were minted by the South African Mint, but from c. 1980, the manufacturing of all new awards as well as the further production of older awards were put out to tender by private enterprises.

Poor quality control and cost cutting by manufacturers resulted in the acceptance and award of a large number of medals which were only 2 millimetres thick, with no raised rim and an undecorated ribbon suspender on the reverse, such as the one depicted alongside.

The Good Service Medal, Silver is a medallion with a scalloped edge and a raised rim, struck in silver, 38 millimetres in diameter and 3 millimetres thick at the rim, depicting the pre-1994 South African Coat of Arms.

[1] The reverse is inscribed "VIR TROUE DIENS" and "FOR GOOD SERVICE" and the original medals, minted by the South African Mint, have a raised rim and decorated ribbon suspender, similar to those of the obverse.