Kohler Barnard defends R23m slush fund disclosure before Parliamentary Committee

Dianne Kohler Barnard, a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance (DA), has stated that withholding classified information regarding a multi-million rand property purchase by Crime Intelligence would have made her complicit in a cover-up.

Kohler Barnard was providing evidence before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating police corruption, where she currently faces allegations regarding the leaking of intelligence.

The MP maintained that the information she released concerning the R23 million purchase of a "luxury hotel" via an intelligence slush fund was already in the public domain. She argued that she could not ignore reports that the fund was used to acquire the property in Pretoria North.

"I cannot be part of a cover-up. I will not be part of a cover-up, and simply ignoring what was in the public domain would have been exactly that," she told the committee.

Addressing claims made by Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, Kohler Barnard suggested the allegations stem from an "erroneous understanding" of her role within the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, which specifically handles classified data.

Before issuing her official press statement regarding the property, she noted that she verified the details with various sources to ensure accuracy.

Kohler Barnard concluded her testimony after facing questioning from evidence leaders and committee members regarding her protocols for handling sensitive information.

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