Darren Bergman Explained

Darren Bergman
Honorific-Suffix:MP
Office:Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition
Leader:John Steenhuisen
Term Start:21 April 2023
Term End:14 June 2024
Predecessor:Mathew Cuthbert
Successor:Office vacant
Office1:Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation
Leader1:Mmusi Maimane
John Steenhuisen
Deputy1:Mergan Chetty
Term Start1:5 June 2019
Term End1:21 April 2023
Predecessor1:Stevens Mokgalapa
Successor1:Emma Powell
Office2:Shadow Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation
Leader2:Mmusi Maimane
Term Start2:5 June 2014
Term End2:5 June 2019
Predecessor2:Donald Lee
Successor2:Position abolished
Office3:Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Term Start3:21 May 2014
Birthname:Darren Bergman
Nationality:South African
Party:Democratic Alliance (2000–present)
Otherparty:Democratic Party (1999–2000)
Occupation:Member of Parliament
Profession:Politician

Darren Bergman is a South African politician who has been a Member of the National Assembly of South Africa for Democratic Alliance since 2014. Within the DA Shadow Cabinet, he was Shadow Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation between 2014 and 2019, Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation between 2019 and 2023 and Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition between 2023 and 2024.

Background

Bergman was educated at King David High School in Linksfield, Johannesburg.[1] He was the managing director of Youth Against Crime, a policeman, basic life paramedic and a consultant before he became active in politics. In 1999, he became the regional youth leader of the Democratic Party in Johannesburg.[2] Bergman was elected to the Johannesburg city council in the 2000 municipal election as a representative of the newly formed Democratic Alliance. He served as a PR and as a ward councillor for the DA until he was elected to parliament in 2014. Bergman also served as the treasurer of the Africa Liberal Network.

Parliamentary career

Bergman stood as a DA parliamentary candidate in the 2014 national elections and was subsequently elected to the National Assembly of South Africa and sworn in on 21 May 2014.[3] On 5 June 2014, he was appointed Shadow Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation by Mmusi Maimane, deputising for Solly Malatsi.[4] Bergman became a member of the Portfolio Committee on Sport and Recreation on 20 June 2014. On 17 September 2015, he was appointed an alternate member of the Portfolio Committee on International Relations and Cooperation.

Bergman was re-elected to parliament in the national and provincial elections on 8 May 2019.[5] The newly elected DA caucus elected him as a whip.[6] On 5 June 2019, Bergman was promoted to Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.[7]

Bergman attempted to break up a conflict between EFF MP Marshall Dlamini and fellow DA MP Denis Joseph in September 2019.[8] In October 2019, Maimane resigned as DA leader and John Steenhuisen was elected his interim successor. He temporarily retained Maimane's cabinet.

In October 2020, Bergman criticised president Cyril Ramaphosa, who also served as chair of the African Union, for being silent on many African crises. He said that Ramaphosa's failure for not speaking out against the attacks on the protests against police brutality in Nigeria, could be seen as him "condoning" it.[9]

After Steenhuisen was elected DA leader for a full term, he announced his shadow cabinet in December 2020. Bergman remained as Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation.[10]

In the 2020 Register of Members’ Interests, Bergman declared that he received R10,000 a month for consultancy work in a company he owns with associates.[11]

In January 2021, Bergman demanded that South African diplomats pay almost R10 million in unreturned rental deposits.[12]

Bergman was moved to Shadow Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition on 21 April 2023.[13]

Bergman was re-elected to the National Assembly at the 2024 general election.[14]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mr Darren Bergman . People's Assembly . 29 January 2021.
  2. Web site: Darren Bergman . liberal-international.org . 29 January 2021.
  3. Web site: 2014 elections: List of DA MPs elected to the National Assembly . Politicsweb . 29 January 2021.
  4. News: Maimane . Mmusi . The DA's shadow cabinet - Mmusi Maimane . 29 January 2021 . Politicsweb . 5 June 2014.
  5. News: SEE: These are the people who will represent you in Parliament, provincial legislatures . 29 January 2021 . News24 . 15 May 2019.
  6. News: Phakathi . Bekezela . DA picks its caucus leadership team . 29 January 2021 . BusinessDay . 30 May 2019.
  7. News: Gerber . Jan . Here's the DA's 'shadow cabinet' . 29 January 2021 . News24 . 5 June 2019.
  8. News: Gerber . Jan . Tempers flare between EFF, DA after Malema's speech in Parliament . 29 January 2021 . News24 . 17 May 2019.
  9. News: DA slams Ramaphosa for being silent on African crises . 29 January 2021 . IOL . 27 October 2020.
  10. Web site: Mazzone . Natasha . DA announces new Shadow Cabinet that will bring Real Hope and Real Change . Democratic Alliance . 29 January 2021.
  11. Web site: MPs moonlighting, getting money from churches, and even free mall parking. Find out what else they have declared . 2022-03-19 . www.iol.co.za . en.
  12. News: Maqhina . Mayibongwe . DA wants diplomats to pay back R10m in unreturned rental deposits . 29 January 2021 . IOL . 7 January 2021.
  13. Web site: Mathew Cuthbert replaces Gwen Ngwenya as DA's head of policy . 2023-04-21 . TimesLIVE . en-ZA.
  14. Web site: The 400 MPs elected to the National Assembly - IEC - DOCUMENTS Politicsweb . 2024-07-09 . www.politicsweb.co.za . en.