[1][2] The 900 member Venda Defence Force (VDF) was established upon that country's independence on 13 September 1979.

[1] Since the Long Service Medal, Silver was authorised for wear by one of the statutory forces which came to be part of the South African National Defence Force on 27 April 1994, it was accorded a position in the official South African order of precedence on that date.

The position of the Long Service Medal, Silver in the official order of precedence was revised twice after 1994 to accommodate the inclusion or institution of new decorations and medals, first in April 1996 when decorations and medals were belatedly instituted for the two former non-statutory forces, the Azanian People's Liberation Army and Umkhonto we Sizwe, and again upon the institution of a new set of honours on 27 April 2003.

[7][8] The suspender is in the form of a pair of crossed elephant tusks and is different on the full-size and miniature medals.

[2][7][8] Conferment of the Long Service Medal, Silver was discontinued when the Republic of Venda ceased to exist on 27 April 1994.