Paul O'Sullivan on Lt-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi: I want that man to fall, and the sooner the better
Forensic consultant Paul O'Sullivan
Image: Dumisani Sibeko
Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan has denounced KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, after the provincial police boss made damning allegations against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy national police commissioner, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya on Sunday.
IOL reported that Mkhwanazi questioned Mchunu’s decision to disband the political killings task team without informing the national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, and himself as the provincial police commissioner in KwaZulu-Natal.
The task team, established in 2018, was a multidisciplinary unit focusing on politically motivated killings and related crimes in KwaZulu-Natal.
Reacting to Mkhwanazi's press briefing, an unimpressed O'Sullivan told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that the provincial police commissioner had overstepped.
"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.
"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."
O'Sullivan insisted that Mkhwanazi was making false allegations at the media briefing on Sunday, indicating that the provincial police commissioner was on a mission of his own.
The forensic investigator also took issue with Mkhwanazi wearing the uniform of the SAPS Special Task Force.
KZN police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, addressing a media briefing at the SAPS provincial headquarters.
Image: SAPS
"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."
O'Sullivan insisted Mkhwanazi had acted unlawfully, and undermined the judiciary and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
IOL reported on Sunday that during the explosive press briefing, Mkhwanazi proclaimed he was combat ready, and willing to die for the police badge, making serious allegations against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy national police commissioner, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya.
Mkhwanazi said he would open a case against Mchunu for alleged interference in policing matters. He said this extended to the minister’s hand and influence in the closure of a task team unit investigating political killings.
He also said links between an associate of the minister and the alleged criminal underworld, had been made through cellphone analysis.
On the other hand, African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president, Collen Malatji, said if Mkhwanazi, has Mchunu and Sibiya, he must arrest them and avoid playing to the gallery.
Speaking to journalists in Mpumalanga, Malatji was reacting to the explosive media briefing held on Sunday by Mkhwanazi, where the provincial police commissioner accused the minister of political interference in the work of the South African Police Service (SAPS), among other allegations.
"Days of populism and statements have ended. If he (Mkhwanazi) has evidence on them, he must arrest them. We are not a country of lawlessness. We don't want statements, press briefings. We want people to be arrested. If they are doing crime, putting drugs in our country - arrest them.
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