Dianne Kohler Barnard suspended - DA

After consultation with our Parliamentary Leader, Athol Trollip MP, I have today written to the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Honourable Max Sisulu, to notify him that, in light of her recent conduct in the House, the DA has acted to suspend Dianne Kohler Barnard MP with immediate effect, for five days. Those five days the 17, 18, 19, 22 and 23 February. I have further request that, on the first sitting day of Parliament, after her return to duty, Ms Kohler Barnard address the House and apologise unconditionally for her words, something to which she has agreed. A copy of that apology has also been sent to the Speaker.

Her suspension means her duties as a Member of Parliament are frozen for that period and, as such, that she vacate the Parliamentary precinct and suspend her related activities.

I wish at this point to say something about the course of action the DA has chosen. First, we regard Ms Kohler Barnard's conduct in a serious light, hence the nature of our decision. Second, we wish to distinguish our reaction to her transgression from that of the ruling party, which repeatedly endorses, defends and obfuscates about the unparliamentary conduct of its own members. The DA believes in accountability and consequences, and that this action demonstrates our commitment to those principles. We challenge the ruling party to follow suit.

And here it is worth setting out some context to incident. Consider that the DA has been accused of being "treasonous", a crime punishable by death in many countries; that labour brokers have been labelled "slave traders" and "human traffickers"; that Tony Leon has been maliciously accused of being "a lance corporal in a helicopter above the streets of Soweto, firing tear gas and bullets at the harmless students" and, in the Western Cape legislature it was even suggested that Leon's wife was found for him by the "Israeli secret service". None of these statements - libellous, racist, and defamatory - were met with any serious condemnation by the ruling party and certainly no decisive action.

The ball is now in the ANC's court. The DA has set a precedent. We have acted immediately and unambiguously. It is now time for the ruling party to adopt a similar attitude to its own repeated transgressions.

Statement issued by Ian Davidson, MP, Democratic Alliance chief whip, February 17 2010

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To the DA Yeah, I suppose what you did was entirely correct and honourable, but it must stick in the throat to limit yourselves to acting with such correctness when having to deal with the criminality and total lack of principles of the ANC. On the bright side, . .more this shows the voters what they can expect from a DA government, which is light years away from the actions of the ANC government on the scales of impartiality and honour. Not to worry, Diane, informed readers know what a fearless fighter you are. . .less by Alto on February 17 2010, 13:21 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Notice the quick action A problem arrises - the DA move fast and rectify it. Frankly I don't blame Barnard for losing the plot over the mindless infantile yapping of the ANC members. For intelligent people it must be torture. Now can we have an appology also from . .more Nomaindia Mfeketo who created the whole mess to start with by stiffling debate. She screwed up Cape Town as Mayor and is now screwing up her role as deputy speaker. It is about time the ANC punished incompetent members instead of just shoveling them around to different positions each time they screw up. . .less by Sad Days on February 17 2010, 14:22 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

To the ANC The DA will never rule this country in million years black people are not stupids. by Midlo on February 17 2010, 14:36 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Note the self-congratulation Makes it a political ploy rather than an action of principle. by ThaboM on February 17 2010, 15:26 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Not "Stupids"? Can Midlo please advance some form of credible and logical argument why the DA should not "rule this country"? And anyway, what the hell has his infantile comment got to do with this particular issue? In a nutshell, if you multiply "Midlo" by 5 million, . .more you will have the answer as to why this country is on a slippery slope to becomming another third world banana republic. . .less by Democrat on February 17 2010, 15:30 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Understandable I completely agree with Sad Days - it must be unbearable having to listento absolute nonsense day in and out without losing it at some stage - how they must have howled with glee! by Democrat on February 17 2010, 15:33 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Midlo Wasn't the "struggle" all about Freedom and democracy. The voters choose a party to run the country based on the party's competance, ideas and track record. The ANC have ruled for 16 years and have done serious damage to the country, they are . .more bankrupt of ideas on how to solve the many problems and their track record is getting more and more dubious as days go by. So if the black voters are not stupid, as you claim, why would they want more of the same and not, instead, choose a party like the DA that has highly competant efficient people with brilliant ideas. That's how democracy works. Get used to it. Oh, and by the way, you also fought for non racialism so the idea that black people vote for one party and white people vote for another is thrown out the window. People vote for the party that they believe will run the country best, irrespective of skin colour. This is the Rainbow nation, remember. A non racial, democratic Rainbow Nation - this was the idea that Mandela went to prison for - and in such a society, you never really know who the people will choose to elect at the next election. Democracy doesn't just mean winning - it also means stepping down when the people no longer want you. This is a concept the ANC will need to get used to. Don't fear it, embrace it, this is what you fought for. . .less by Sad Days on February 17 2010, 16:30 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@ThaboM That's politics mate.. on the other hand it does create a precedent which hopefully the ANC would honor & follow - though that might just be asking a bit much. by Apathy on February 17 2010, 16:44 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@ Thabo I have for a long time wondered whether you are not Thabo Mbeki when you sign your name as just Thabo. Now you have added the M. I have a sneaky suspicion that this Thabo is our previous President. I obviously will never know whether my intuition is . .more right. . .less by didi on February 17 2010, 19:48 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Thats Good That's good the DA punish their people if they do wrong, hopefully the ANC will do the same now. :/ the only problem if the ANC would do that is that about half of them would be dismissed including Zuma and the other half suspended by Francois on February 17 2010, 19:53 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

The real culprit? Is surely Nomaindia Mfeketo who abused her powers by requiring a Member to withdraw an honest factual statement he was entitled to make in the House. The DA did the right thing vis a vis Ms Kohler-Barnard, but its good example of standing on . .more principle is lost on the unprincipled boorish uncouth ANC. One need only look at the morals of their President and listen to the stupidities of the likes of Mbalula and Malema to know where they are coming from, and where they are headed. . .less by Flebus on February 18 2010, 08:35 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

DA's lack of professionalism It would have been so much for professional of the DA to just apologise for the unacceptable language used by Ms. Dianne Kohler. We all slip up and she is prepared to apologise. The respect I felt for this mature approach was dashed when the article . .more then proceeded to rake up various completely unrelated comments about issues far removed from the one at hand. Come on DA, surely you can handle your own transgressions with a bit more dignity than this. Shame on you. . .less by Is it so hard to just apologise on February 18 2010, 08:45 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Please suspend this "lady" indefinitely! Every time I see this rude, condescending woman lecturing the ANC on TV, I cringe. The DA will never increase its support base with people like this in its midst. She is the DA's Julius Malema. by sc on February 18 2010, 09:07 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Barnard is a tough cookie and doing great things in her safety and security position - a role that is not for the faint hearted. Apparently she mumbled the phrase to herself and it would have taken lip reading skills to even figure out what she said. No sc, she . .more is nothing like Malema - he is an ignorant uneducated fool - she is a bright, intelligent, smart go-getter. . .less by Sad Days on February 18 2010, 10:50 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Testing times I am no fan of the use of foul language in public forums, but my sympathies in this case lie entirely with Diane Kohler-Barnard. Being subjected to the ill-informed rulings of a twit like Mfeketo can become unbearable, and even mild-mannered and . .more otherwise well disciplined folk can be forgiven for unthinkingly deploying an f-word in a fit of exasperation. The DA may have over-reacted; a simple and sincere apology from Kohler-Barnard should have sufficed. . .less by mpho on February 18 2010, 12:57 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

Expletive deleted When the victims of hideous crime try to bring their pain to the attention of the ANC they are told F...expletive deleted...U When the ANC blatantly steals money from its citizens without conscience they are saying to all South Africans F...expletive . .more deleted...U When they drive with their blue lights they are saying F...expletive deleted...U Every thing they do represents a F...expletive deleted...U attitude Well Dianne ,thankyou for saying that in parliment because you said to the ANC what many millions constantly think and privately say Oops, that was very naughty of me. I sentence myself to 5 days leave and undertake never to think like that unless I am either tipsy or really angry . .less by Spartacus on February 18 2010, 16:24 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

@Midlo "The DA will never rule this country in million years black people are not stupids." Well, you certainly are a "stupid" by Jeff on February 18 2010, 19:23 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

DA SHOULD UNDERSTAND PROFESSIONALLY U cannot compare ANC in politic and ANC in national assembly. Anc MP had a great respect to ather mp.but in our own meeting at chief luthuli we express ourself to the extent of freedom speech in our organisation.and we do not concentrate in ather . .more parties. . .less by Nhlanhla on February 19 2010, 11:37 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

DA LACK RESPECT OVER THE PRESIDENT AND ANC MP's. If DA cannot able to discipline its president who always insult mr president Zuma .they must know they lack vision.and mind set up transformation.that is the reason DA can't lead this world,they even fail to lead SA during appartheid era. Tell . .more he never inspire me and he will never. . .less by Nhlanhla on February 19 2010, 11:46 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

U must leave the house for ever next time If DA cannot able to discipline its president who always insult mr president Zuma .they must know they lack vision.and mind set up transformation.that is the reason DA can't lead this world,they even fail to lead SA during appartheid era. Tell . .more he never inspire me and he will never. . .less by Nhlanhla on February 19 2010, 11:51 Find this comment inappropriate? Report it

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