Democratic Alliance MP Marian Shinn has been named by the party’s parliamentary leader, Lindiwe Mazibuko, as the new shadow minister of communications, replacing Natasha Michael, who takes on the public enterprises portfolio.

Junita Kloppers-Lourens has been appointed shadow minister for science and technology as part of a broad shake-up of responsibilities in opposition benches.

Mazibuko says the reshuffle is intended “to give each shadow minister the best platform upon which to showcase their particular talents”.

Shinn was previously the deputy shadow minister for science and technology. Born in Zimbabwe, Shinn worked for the Rand Daily Mail in the early 1970s before moving to The Star, where she focused on human rights and social welfare issues.

She has also worked as an IT trade journalist. She moved from Johannesburg to Cape Town in 1998, where she joined the Muizenberg branch of the then Democratic Party.

Kloppers-Lourens was previously the shadow minister of basic education. She joined the DA in 2005 and was elected to parliament in 2009. A registered insolvency practitioner, Klopper-Lourens holds degrees from the Univerity of Pretoria, Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg) and Unisa.

Former deputy shadow communications minister Niekie van den Berg has been promoted and now heads up the arts and culture portfolio. His previous role will be filled by Butch Steyn. The new deputy shadow minister of science and technology is Manie van Dyk. — Craig Wilson, TechCentral