Kohler Barnard is also the former chairperson of the Broadcast, Electronic Media and Allied Workers' Union in KwaZulu-Natal, and was a founder member of the inaugural SABC HIV/Aids Committee.

[7] Kohler Barnard was almost expelled from the DA in October 2015, when it emerged that she had controversially shared on her Facebook page a post from someone else suggesting that life in South Africa was better under former apartheid President PW Botha.

[9][8][10] Kohler Barnard apologised unreservedly for her action,[11] and was subsequently demoted to the position of shadow Deputy Minister of Public Works.

[13] The disciplinary panel apparently recommended that Kohler Barnard be fined R20,000, be removed from all internally elected DA positions, pay for public apologies in 5 newspapers and attend a social media management course at her own expense.

[16][17] The controversy was alleged to harm the image of the DA, which has been trying to project itself as an anti-apartheid party,[18][19] and also caused some serious internal tension, as some have viewed the original decisions as harsh.