The Democratic Alliance (DA) has announced that it is seeking legal advice regarding the participation of its MP, Dianne Kohler Barnard, in Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating issues related to national security.
The committee was formed to examine allegations of criminal infiltration, corruption, and political interference within South Africa’s criminal justice system — claims made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in July.
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During his appearance before the committee this week, Mkhwanazi implicated Kohler Barnard, accusing her of having access to and sharing classified information with the media. His testimony led several MPs to call for her recusal or for the DA to withdraw her from the committee.
DA MP Ian Cameron told the committee that the party is currently considering the matter.
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“The honourable DKB [Dianne Kohler Barnard] not in attendance, following [the proceedings] virtually. No one being recused at this stage, [the party is] seeking legal advice and we will give relevant feedback,” said Cameron.
ANC Pushes for Kohler Barnard’s Recusal from Parliament Committee
The African National Congress (ANC) has called for Kohler Barnard to be recused from the Ad Hoc Committee, citing potential conflicts of interest following the allegations raised by Mkhwanazi.
Her continued participation has become a focal point of contention within Parliament, as members debate whether her alleged involvement could compromise the credibility of the inquiry.
The DA’s decision to seek legal counsel signals the party’s cautious approach as it navigates both political and ethical implications tied to the case.
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Mkhwanazi Alleges Misuse of Crime Intelligence Funds
In his testimony, Mkhwanazi also detailed how South Africa’s Crime Intelligence Division had allegedly been misused to influence members of the executive, including through the covert diversion of funds.
He claimed that money from the police’s secret fund was used to build a boundary wall at the home of the late Nathi Mthethwa — the former Police Minister and South African ambassador to France.
“That was money from Crime Intelligence, nobody was held accountable, but reports are there,” Mkhwanazi told the committee. “We’re seeing the homestead of the late ambassador Nathi Mthethwa on TV now, and there’s a boundary wall. That wall was built using Crime Intelligence funds.”
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He added that such actions were part of a broader pattern of manipulation within the division.
“No one has ever been held accountable for it. Back in 2011, we raised all these concerns. It’s members of Crime Intelligence who divert the money and use it to gain influence over the executive.
“The minister at the time, Mthethwa, never asked for that wall. But this is how they operate, they use such projects to control the minister so [that] they can later loot the funds,” Mkhwanazi said.
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