Home

DA’s Kohler Barnard walks out of McBride’s fate deliberations

Robert McBride
Reading Time: 2 minutes

One of the DA MPs serving on the Portfolio Committee on Police, Diane Kohler Barnard, has walked out of deliberations on the fate of Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head, Robert McBride.

The committee has set aside this week to deal with the matter. It follows a draft court order that Parliament must either concur or reject Police Minister Bheki Cele’s decision not to renew McBride’s contract.

The committee is busy compiling its findings ahead of its deadline on Thursday.

Kohler Barnard suggested that the successes of the Ipid boss should be included in the report.

“He had to work under four different ministers. A revolving door of ministers and to suggest that you can’t include the successes of the Ipid, was just the last straw for me.”

On Friday morning the committee received a notice from the Helen Suzman foundation, who joined as a friend of the court, that they are lodging leave to appeal the court order and that it in effect, would put the work of the committee on hold.

But Chairperson of the Committee, Francois Beukman, says they are within their mandate.

“We will then proceed. We note the input but as a committee. We need to fulfil our task in terms of the referral.”

Author

MOST READ