Southern Cross Decoration
| Southern Cross Decoration | |
|---|---|
| Type | Military decoration for merit | 
| Awarded for | Outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty | 
| Country | South Africa | 
| Presented by | the State President and, from 1994, the President | 
| Eligibility | Officers | 
| Post-nominals | SD | 
| Status | Discontinued in 2003 | 
| Established | 1975 | 
| First award | 1976 | 
| Ribbon bar | |
| SADF pre-1994 & SANDF post-2002 orders of wear | |
| Next (higher) | SADF precedence:
 SANDF precedence:
 | 
| Next (lower) | SADF succession:
 SANDF succession:
 | 
The Southern Cross Decoration, post-nominal letters SD, is a South African military decoration for merit which was instituted by the Republic on 1 July 1975. It was awarded to officers of the South African Defence Force for outstanding service of the highest order and utmost devotion to duty.