Cape Town – Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan has criticised KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi after Mkhwanazi publicly accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy national commissioner Shadrack Sibiya of political interference and dismantling the political killings task team.
Mkhwanazi, in a Sunday press briefing, claimed the minister shut down the task team without consulting national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola or himself.
He also alleged ties between Mchunu’s associate and criminal networks based on cellphone data and vowed to open a case against the minister.
Speaking during an interview with Newzroom Afrika, O’Sullivan, however, condemned the press briefing as unauthorised and accused Mkhwanazi of spreading false claims, undermining the judiciary and the NPA, and behaving unlawfully.
He called for a judicial inquiry and for both Mkhwanazi and Masemola to be suspended.
“The reality is that he was not authorised to do what he did. If (national police commissioner, General Fannie) Masemola authorised what he did, the two of them can go down together because I am calling for a judicial commission of inquiry. I have today written to the minister, and I have asked the minister, without overreaching his executive powers, to arrange for Masemola and Mkhwanazi to be suspended until we can get to the bottom of what their conduct is actually involved in, and where it is leading,” said O’Sullivan.
Forensic consultant, Paul O’Sullivan, says he has written to the Minister of Police calling for an inquiry following KZN police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s damning allegations.
Watch: https://t.co/oYPsT2xQ4u pic.twitter.com/XXH2ebYPw7
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) July 6, 2025
O’Sullivan added: “The reality of the situation is, he has overstepped his mark. It is not the job of the provincial commissioner to start accusing the government, the judiciary, the National Prosecuting Authority and the minister of police for that matter of being criminals. That is what he did today, and I want to see that man fall and the sooner the better.”
[WATCH] “I want to see that man fall, the sooner the better,” Forensic consultant Paul O’Sullivan tells @imanrappetti. pic.twitter.com/JJqSXcnIph
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) July 6, 2025
He also criticised Mkhwanazi for wearing Special Task Force gear and being flanked by armed, masked officers, calling the scene “suspicious” and likening it to a coup attempt.
“He is a police official, he is the head of the KZN provincial police (but) he is not a task Force member. Why was he wearing a task force uniform? Why was he having task force members on both sides of him, it is almost like he is challenging who, the government, the police? Who is he challenging? He is setting all these people around him, if you have a look at the pictures, it is very, very clear he is surrounded by people with R5 weapons and they are all wearing masks, so we can’t see who they are,” said O’Sullivan referring to the specialised police units at the press briefing.
“It looks dangerously suspicious and it looks like they are likely threatening a coup.”
