| Dianne Kohler Barnard MP | |
|---|---|
| Shadow Minister of Police | |
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2006 |
|
| Leader | Tony Leon and Helen Zille |
| Shadow Minister of Health | |
| In office 2005 – 2006 |
|
| Leader | Tony Leon |
| Shadow Minister of Arts and Culture | |
| In office 2004 – 2005 |
|
| Leader | Tony Leon |
| Member of Parliament for Central Durban, KwaZulu-Natal in the National Assembly of South Africa |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 21 May 2004 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 December 1955 Port Elizabeth |
| Nationality | South African |
| Political party | Democratic Alliance |
Dianne Kohler Barnard (born 2 December 1955) is a South African politician and former journalist, currently South Africa's Shadow Minister of Police, and a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance (DA). She was born in Port Elizabeth,[1] but currently resides in KwaZulu-Natal, where she represents the Central Durban constituency.[2]
Contents |
Kohler Barnard spent 23 years working as a radio and print journalist. She ran the KwaZulu-Natal offices of SAfm and also presented/produced the station's afternoon news programme The Editors.
Kohler Barnard is also the former chairperson of the Broadcast, Electronic Media and Allied Workers' Union in KwaZulu-Natal, and was a founder member of the inaugural SABC HIV/Aids Committee.[1]
Kohler-Barnard moved to politics in response to increasing state interference in the management of the SABC. She was elected to parliament with the Democratic Alliance in 2004, and was initially spokesperson on Arts and Culture.[3]
She was subsequently appointed opposition spokesperson on Health. During this time she became a vocal critic of incumbent health minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, particularly over her support for controversial German vitamin salesman Matthias Rath. Rath attempted to sue Kohler Barnard for describing him as a "charlatan", and also tried to sue newspapers that carried the remark.[4]
Subsequently, Kohler Barnard was appointed to the senior position of Shadow Minister for the party on Police. She was also the DA’s representative on the SADC observer mission to Zimbabwe for the last two elections in that country.[1]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Roy Jankielsohn |
South African Shadow Minister of Police 2006–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Ryan Coetzee |
South African Shadow Minister of Health 2005 – 2006 |
Succeeded by Gareth Morgan |
| Preceded by Sydney Opperman |
South African Shadow Minister of Arts and Culture 2004 – 2005 |
Succeeded by Desiree van der Walt |
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