Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan will appear in person before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on Tuesday, 10 February, after receiving safety assurances. His testimony is expected to address allegations of corruption in Crime Intelligence and challenge claims made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The committee is probing broader issues of criminal infiltration in South Africa’s justice system.
Paul O’Sullivan, a forensic investigator known for involvement in policing and State Capture investigations, is scheduled to testify before Parliament’s ad hoc committee on 10 and 11 February. The committee, chaired by Soviet Lekganyane, is investigating allegations raised by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi at a July 2025 press conference. Mkhwanazi claimed a drug cartel had infiltrated South Africa’s criminal justice and political systems, implicating figures including the then-police minister Senzo Mchunu, who denied wrongdoing.
O’Sullivan’s appearance follows initial concerns for his safety, leading him to request a virtual testimony. Lekganyane confirmed strict security measures, resolving the issue without a summons, as welcomed by ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli. However, EFF leader Julius Malema criticized Speaker Thoko Didiza for allegedly attempting to shield O’Sullivan, while MK Party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo denounced O’Sullivan’s initial reluctance as arrogant.
The testimony is anticipated to contradict Mkhwanazi’s public statements. O’Sullivan has previously accused Mkhwanazi of lying and acting unlawfully by discussing ongoing investigations in a dramatic press conference. He questioned National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola’s role and called for suspensions of Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo and colleagues arrested in June 2025 on fraud and corruption charges related to appointments.
O’Sullivan is expected to detail complaints he lodged against Crime Intelligence members, amid long-standing suspicions of looting from the unit’s slush fund. Former head Richard Mdluli faces related charges, pleading not guilty. Mkhwanazi’s conference, held 10 days after the arrests, portrayed the calls for suspension as pressure from a criminal syndicate to control the unit. In contrast, O’Sullivan views Mkhwanazi’s actions as a distraction from internal criminality.
This hearing underscores divisions within South Africa’s police service, with some supporting Mkhwanazi as a whistleblower and others, like O’Sullivan, accusing him of misleading the public. The committee plans to seek a third extension for its work.
