Lone voice of support for Kohler Barnard

DEMOCRATIC Alliance councillor Shelley Loe is the only DA public representative that I know of who has publicly shown support for the embattled Dianne Kohler Barnard, who faces a disciplinary hearing this Friday.

I applaud her courage and salute her. There is one good woman in the DA with the guts to speak truth to power. She alone has put her head above the parapet and said “No more! This is just beyond ridiculous! And it’s plain wrong. I shall speak up for Dianne”.

It used to be that the DA and DP were filled with independently minded men and women of conscience and principle, emboldened to change our world because our world order was wrong. They were unafraid to challenge au- thority and to hold their leaders to account.

They supported each other – but also disagreed with each other, often loudly and publicly – as they strove to make South Africa a better, fairer place.

They truly represented the people who had entrusted them with their vote. They were never afraid.

But now, with the sole exception of Loe, there is just silence. Cold, creepy, callous, cowardly silence…

Ask yourself this, DA public representatives: “If I do not speak up for Dianne Kohler Barnard now, who will speak up for me when my turn comes?” And it will. It surely will.

Durban