O’Sullivan demands removal of KZN police commissioner Mkhwanazi amid explosive allegations
Renowned forensic consultant Paul O’Sullivan has called for the immediate removal of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, accusing him of undermining the stability of South Africa’s police leadership.
Speaking during a live interview on Newzroom Afrika on Sunday, 6 July, O’Sullivan did not hold back, saying, “I want to see that man fall, the sooner the better.”
His comments come just hours after Mkhwanazi made explosive claims at a media briefing, accusing senior government officials of interfering with investigations into political killings.
Mkhwanazi alleged that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya were among those who disrupted the work of the Political Killings Task Team.
According to the commissioner, more than 120 case dockets were removed earlier this year, compromising investigations into politically linked murders in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. He claimed that high-profile suspects were being shielded from justice, suggesting that there was a coordinated effort to collapse the task team’s work.
O’Sullivan, known for his anti-corruption advocacy, questioned Mkhwanazi’s motives and criticised the manner in which he went public with his claims. He described the commissioner’s briefing in which Mkhwanazi wore Special Task Force fatigues and was flanked by armed officers as an alarming display, suggesting it could be interpreted as a threat to constitutional order.
While some viewers interpreted O’Sullivan’s remarks as accusing Mkhwanazi of plotting a coup, he did not directly make such a claim. However, he warned that the optics of the briefing raised red flags and warranted serious scrutiny.
The dramatic standoff between the two high-profile figures has added to growing public concern over instability within the SAPS.
Minister Mchunu has since dismissed the allegations as baseless and “irresponsible,” while President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has acknowledged the matter as one of “grave national security concern.”.