Dianne Kohler Barnard

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 (1955-12-02) (age 55) 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]

Career in journalism

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]

Politics

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]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Dianne Kohler Barnard". http://www.da.org.za/our_people.htm?action=view-page&category=members-of-parliament&person=656. 
2. ^ "Contact - DA in Your Area: KwaZulu-Natal". http://www.da.org.za/contact.htm?action=view-page&category=da-in-your-area&province=kwazulu-natal. 
3. ^ "Ms Dianne Kohler Barnard". http://www.whoswhosa.co.za/dianne-kohler-barnard-5950. 
4. ^ "Rath sues Cape Times over alleged 'offensive' remarks". http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=271&fArticleId=2839828. 

Offices held

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

Persondata
Name	Kohler Barnard, Dianne
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	2 December 1955
Place of birth	Port Elizabeth
Date of death
Place of death