[1][2][3] The Nkwe ya Selefera - Silver Leopard can be awarded to all ranks of the SANDF 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 conspicuous bravery on a single occasion or over a period of time during military operations.

[1] Guidelines consisting of appropriate phrases, which may be useful when writing a citation for the award of the Nkwe ya Selefera - Silver Leopard, have been published by the South African Defence Department.

[5] The position of the Nkwe ya Selefera - Silver Leopard in the official military and national orders of precedence is as follows:[6]

In the centre of the obverse is a light blue enamel roundel, 19 millimetres in diameter, with a silver leopard's head.

The Bar for subsequent conferments of the Nkwe ya Selefera - Silver Leopard is 33 millimetres in length and 5 millimetres wide, struck in silver and embossed in the centre with a replica of the decoration.