DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard has been cleared of “breaching confidentiality” related to misconduct hearings against former communications minister Dina Pule.<\/p>\n
Parliament’s ethics committee confirmed this on Thursday after weighing claims that Kohler-Barnard had posted regular updates on her Facebook page during the hearings.<\/p>\n
The African National Congress alleged the information was published in The Post newspaper in August.<\/p>\n
The parliamentary code of conduct enjoins all MPs and staff serving on the committee to take an oath of confidentiality.<\/p>\n
The committee said in a statement: “[We] considered the matter and dismissed the allegations against Ms Kohler-Barnard.”<\/p>\n
The committee agreed to refer the Post newspaper to the Press Ombudsman for publishing misleading information which could negatively impact on Kohler-Barnard’s reputation.<\/p>\n
On August 22, ANC chief whip Stone Sizani accused Kohler-Barnard of “violating her oath of confidentiality”.<\/p>\n
Sizani said by “disclosing information pertaining to the proceedings of the confidential hearing on social media, Ms Kohler-Barnard violated the ethics code, undermined the integrity of the process and brought the institution into disrepute”.<\/p>\n
He had asked the Speaker’s office to “investigate the MP’s improper conduct, penalise her and remove her from the ethics committee”.<\/p>\n
The Democratic Alliance later demanded an apology from Sizani, which was not forthcoming.<\/p>\n
Kohler-Barnard had also threatened Sizani with legal action.<\/p>\n
The DA MP was on the committee which recommended that Pule be suspended by Parliament for the scandal that saw her boyfriend benefit from state funding.<\/p>\n
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