JOHANNESBURG – Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan has called for the suspension of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, saying his conduct could mark the end of his police career.
O’Sullivan was reacting to a controversial press briefing held on Sunday, where Mkhwanazi claimed political interference in police work involving Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya. Mchunu said he would consider the claims, while Sibiya outrightly dismissed them.
Speaking to South African broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, O’Sullivan said Mkhwanazi’s conduct was unlawful and could have serious implications for the criminal justice system. He accused the provincial commissioner of undermining the judiciary and the National Prosecuting Authority by disclosing confidential investigations publicly.
“What he did is not only wrong, but it threatens the stability of the police service. He was dressed in combat uniform, flanked by heavily armed masked men, as if staging a show of force. It looked dangerously suspicious, like a threat of a coup,” O’Sullivan said.
He also questioned the role of National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, suggesting that if Masemola had authorised Mkhwanazi’s actions, then both should face suspension.
O’Sullivan confirmed he has written to Mchunu and President Cyril Ramaphosa calling for a judicial commission of inquiry and immediate suspensions. “We need to get to the bottom of their conduct and where this is leading,” he said.
He added that Mkhwanazi had crossed the line by publicly accusing top officials, including the minister and judiciary, of criminal conduct. “That is not the job of a provincial commissioner. I want to see that man fall—and the sooner, the better.”
Watch O’Sullivan calls for inquiry into Mkhwanazi’s conduct
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