Forensic expert Paul O’Sullivan has demanded the immediate removal of KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, accusing him of damaging the South African Police Service (SAPS) with reckless public statements.
Appearing on Newzroom Afrika, O’Sullivan called Mkhwanazi’s recent allegations against senior officials “dangerously suspicious” and declared, “I want to see that man fall, the sooner the better.”
The controversy stems from a press briefing where Mkhwanazi—dressed in tactical gear alongside masked officers—claimed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya had secretly disbanded the Political Killings Task Team to shield politically linked suspects. He further alleged that 121 murder dockets were removed from the unit this year under Sibiya’s orders and implicated one of the minister’s associates in a Gauteng drug ring via text message evidence.
Sibiya fired back, accusing Mkhwanazi of “warlord behaviour,” while Mchunu dismissed the claims as “wild allegations” and called for an urgent, transparent investigation.
O’Sullivan revealed he had written to Mchunu, urging the suspension of both Mkhwanazi and National Commissioner Fannie Masemola pending a judicial inquiry. “By making baseless claims, he’s undermined the judiciary, police associations, and Parliament,” O’Sullivan argued.
Late Sunday, the Presidency intervened, with President Cyril Ramaphosa warning that the public feud “threatens to undermine public confidence” and urging “discipline and restraint.”
Opposition parties and civil society are now demanding parliamentary oversight. Police portfolio committee member Ian Cameron has requested an urgent debate, stating “silence is not an option.”
With pressure mounting from law enforcement veterans, politicians, and the Presidency, the credibility of SAPS leadership hinges on whether Pretoria orders an independent probe—a decision that could determine Mkhwanazi’s future and the stability of the police service.
