The  Democratic Alliance (DA) says it is seeking legal advise on the continued participation of its member, Dianne Kohler Barnard, in Parliament’s Ad Hoc committee looking into concerns of national security.

The committee was established to probe allegations of criminal infiltration, corruption, and political interference in the criminal justice system, that KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, made in July.

As in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, when appearing before the committee yesterday, Mkhwanazi implicated Kohler Barnard, for having access to and sharing classified information with the media.

Most MPs in the committee called for Kohler Barnard to recuse herself or for her party to remove her.

Having given the committee an undertaking that they would consider the matter, DA MP, Ian Cameron, briefed MPs on their decision.

“The honorable 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.”

ANC calls for DA’s Diane Kohler Barnard to recuse herself from Parly Committee

Meanwhile, yesterday, Mkhwanazi revealed how Crime Intelligence officials have been used to capture the executive including allegations of the misuse of the Division’s secret slush fund.

He claims money from the police’s covert fund was used to build a wall at the home of former Police minister and late ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa.

“That was money from Crime Intelligence, nobody was held accountable, but reports are there – he 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.”

“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,” adds Mkhwanazi.

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