DA candidates list dogged by racism accusations

The DA’s announcement of its candidates list for members of parliament has been met with accusations of racism, xenophobia and sexual harassment coverups.

Veteran MP Dianne Kohler Barnard is high up on the main opposition party’s list of people they would like to see in parliament despite renewed accusations against her for racism and xenophobia. According to the Sunday Times The DA’s parliamentary operations director Louw Nel is taking legal action against Barnard following a scandal the party has thus far managed to keep under wraps.

Kohler Barnard is alleged to have made remarks that black youths were targetting white motorists in rock-throwing incidents on the N2 Highway in KZN.

Kohler Barnard has been accused of racist behaviour before and in 2015 her membership of the DA was terminated following a Facebook post in which she called for the return of apartheid president PW Botha. Her explusion was subsequently overturned on condition she was not found guilty of a similar offence in future, which this new scandal could be deemed to be.

In separate accusations, Ekurhuleni councillor Thina Bambeni was allegedly removed from the list because she has complained of sexual harassment in the past. According to the Sunday Times, Bambeni was removed from the list on the recommendation of Gauteng leader John Moodey after she accused council caucus chair Shadow Shabangu of sexually harassing her.

“Given her past history of accusing members of her caucus of sexual harassment…I, therefore, petition the FCEC (Federal Candidates Election Committee) to red-flag this applicant,” Moodey wrote.

For more details on both these accusations, the full story is in this week’s issue of the Sunday Times.

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