‘Where do you get this authority?’ – Paul O’Sullivan denies he is a bully as MPs grill him over conduct

2026-03-05 - 13:23

Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan returned to Parliament on Thursday, 5 March 2026, to conclude his testimony before the ad hoc committee investigating corruption, criminality, and political interference within South Africa’s justice system. His return followed a dramatic exit during his appearance a week ago, when he abruptly left in the middle of questioning, citing the need to catch a flight at the Cape Town International Airport. Paul O’Sullivan apologises for walkout During his fourth appearance, O’Sullivan “unreservedly” apologised for leaving without the chairperson’s permission. He explained that his apology letter contained the reasons for his departure, which were “confidential” and shared only with MPs. ANC MP Xola Nqola later confronted him over what he described as a repeated pattern of threatening behaviour toward individuals, including police ministry chief of staff Cedric Nkabinde and former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane. “Why are you bullying people around? Where do you get this authority?” Nqola asked. ALSO READ: ‘Good Christian country’: Inside Paul O’Sullivan’s letter ‘pleading’ to move to SA during apartheid O’Sullivan defended his actions, citing previous personal attacks and legal challenges. “I had to move my family from the other side of the world for their own protection because people wanted to kill me, and that included police officers who were part of this whole conspiracy against me,” he told the committee. “So if my conduct was seen as bullying, it was a response to the outrages and egregious conduct of prosecutors and police officials who acted unlawfully, as they were part of the state capture project. “They wanted to silence anybody who was exposing corruption,” O’Sullivan added. He also described being assaulted on a plane, having his businesses raided multiple times, and facing what he said were “false” criminal charges, from which O’Sullivan claimed he was acquitted in four court cases. Watch the ad hoc committee’s inquiry below: Dispute with MK party MP O’Sullivan was also questioned over comments made about MK Party MP David Skosana during last week’s hearing as he drove away after storming out of Parliament. He had allegedly accused Skosana of owing a bank more than R600 000, raising concerns about how O’Sullivan obtained the information. Skosana insisted the debt had been settled. “He must retract that aspersion because that debt has been settled. I have proof it was paid last year,” he said. READ MORE: ‘My loyalty is to South Africa’: Paul O’Sullivan denies being foreign agent The MK Party MP added context, explaining that the claim related to a default judgment against his company. “If you are running a business, you will know there is nothing sinister about having had a judgment, because it was a default judgment.” O’Sullivan denies profiling MPs ANC MP Khusela Sangoni-Diko asked whether O’Sullivan had been investigating Skosana for fraud. O’Sullivan responded that the information was public, derived from a high court judgment. He also highlighted that he had learned about it via a phone call the week before his appearance and denied profiling MPs. “We don’t profile. I don’t know anything about you or anybody else on the committee. “The only person I got information about was Mr Skosana, and it was a phone call. They provided the information. I then decided to check it out.” Sangoni-Diko, however, suggested that O’Sullivan appeared to have access to personal information about certain individuals and used it to intimidate them. O’Sullivan denied the assertion, stating: “That’s absolutely not true.” Concerns over conduct and investigative methods DA MP Damien Klopper also expressed concern about O’Sullivan’s general behaviour, including towards members of the committee. “You’re someone’s brother, friend, maybe you have grandchildren. But with equal respect, sir, when one speaks to others in the same harsh manner that we have seen in some of your emails, it becomes difficult to separate the two. “You have, in many instances, been on both sides of the fence. You have dished out, Mr O’Sullivan, and now you have also received,” Klopper said. READ MORE: ‘You can be the white Brown Mogotsi’: MPs accuse Paul O’Sullivan of not being truthful He acknowledged O’Sullivan’s dedication to tackling corruption, but emphasised that there are rules to be followed. “There are standards of conduct that must be maintained. Passion for justice cannot replace discipline in your behaviour, in the language you choose to use and how you approach people.” Klopper also referenced O’Sullivan’s role in an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) into Phahlane. “You find corruption and wrongdoing on one hand, but on the other, you front as a white man -those were your words, sir – to access places like Sable Hills, take pictures of people’s houses, and question and interview people. “Unfortunately, Mr O’Sullivan, it is a fact that I battle to reconcile,” the DA MP said. Ad Hoc Committee investigating the allegations made by Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi: Mr Paul O’Sullivan back before the committee. @ParliamentofRSA #pktt @DefenceCluster ⁦@SAPoliceService⁩ pic.twitter.com/tlGvHiT4FN — Justice-and-security-Cluster (@JustSecuCluster) March 5, 2026 It was previously heard that O’Sullivan allegedly threatened the manager of the Sable Hills Waterfront Estate – where Phahlane resides – to obtain his house plans. The forensic expert also obtained statements from witnesses. His testimony has largely focused on his personal background, his alleged “infiltration” of the Ipid, and claims that he acted as a foreign spy – allegations he has vehemently denied – among other matters. NOW READ: ‘It was O’Sullivan’s own investigation, not Ipid’: Ex-NPA prosecutor details Paul’s ‘interference’