Paul O’Sullivan Files R10 Million Defamation Counterclaim Against Mkhwanazi

Private investigator Paul O’Sullivan has fired back at KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, filing a R10 million defamation counterclaim in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.

According to court papers, O’Sullivan accuses Mkhwanazi of making several false and defamatory statements during the Madlanga Commission and the parliamentary ad hoc committee hearings.

O’Sullivan strongly denied allegations suggesting he had committed any crime.

“If a case has been opened for investigation, it has been opened unlawfully because it has not been registered, and there is no record of it, or Mkhwanazi would have been able to cite the case number,” the court documents read.

Mkhwanazi previously warned that O’Sullivan “has control all over” and that the country should not allow itself to be “run by him.”

Ongoing Tensions Between Paul O’Sullivan and Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi

The defamation battle stems from Mkhwanazi’s explosive media briefing in July, where he made sweeping allegations against members of the police management and the judiciary.

Following the public fallout, President Cyril Ramaphosa established a commission of inquiry under the Commissions Act of 1947 to investigate the claims. Parliament also agreed to form a supporting ad hoc committee.

In September, Mkhwanazi filed a R5 million defamation lawsuit against O’Sullivan for comments he made in multiple media interviews, further intensifying their legal feud.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Lucky Montana’s Political Career In Peril As SARS Seizes Assets Over R55 Million Tax Debt

During one such interview with Newzroom Afrika, O’Sullivan accused Mkhwanazi of authorising R36 million in public funds to purchase luxury vehicles in 2021. He also alleged that the commissioner travelled abroad with a police supplier, returning with a Louis Vuitton handbag.

“Neither of them disclosed at customs the fact that they had in their possession a gift worth somewhere between 70 and 100k each, and then what do they do, they probably gave these bags to their wives,” O’Sullivan claimed.

In a separate IOL report, O’Sullivan went further, stating, “Mkhwanazi is one of the biggest criminals that ever wore a police uniform. His crimes, when they are finally exposed, will shock the nation.”

‘Shoot to Kill Policy’ Allegations Deepen the Rift

O’Sullivan also accused Mkhwanazi of implementing a “shoot to kill policy” allegedly authorising officers to kill suspects, regardless of whether they were armed, dating back to the year 2000.

Mkhwanazi’s legal team responded, labelling O’Sullivan’s remarks as defamatory and damaging to his professional reputation.

Court documents reveal that a letter of demand was sent to O’Sullivan, urging him to retract and apologise, but the private investigator has remained defiant.

“As a result of such defamation of his character, the plaintiff has been severely damaged in his reputation, the quantum whereof is in the sum of five million rand,” Mkhwanazi’s court papers state.

The legal standoff between the two figures continues to escalate, with both sides now embroiled in million-rand defamation battles.

---

For More, Follow SurgeZirc SA On  Facebook, X,  Instagram and Bluesky