Mkhwanazi slaps Paul O’Sullivan with R5m defamation suit
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has filed a R5 million defamation lawsuit against private investigator Paul O’Sullivan, accusing him of making “false, malicious and defamatory” statements through various media platforms.
In court papers handed in at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, Mkhwanazi claims O’Sullivan tarnished his reputation by alleging that he had engaged in serious organised crime, smuggled luxury goods, misused police funds, and authorised unlawful expenditure during his tenure in the police service.
The summons outlines a series of statements O’Sullivan allegedly made on Newzroom Afrika between 6 and 9 July 2025, and in Independent Online (IOL) on 29 July 2025.
Among the allegations, O’Sullivan claimed that when National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola was Acting Head of Crime Intelligence in 2012, Mkhwanazi approved the unlawful spending of R35 million on luxury cars.
He also alleged that both men returned from an overseas trip with Louis Vuitton handbags gifted by a police supplier, and which were not declared at customs.
In IOL, O’Sullivan was quoted as saying: "Mkhwanazi is one of the biggest criminals that ever wore a police uniform, his crimes, when they are finally exposed, will shock the nation."
According to the summons, the remarks conveyed that Mkhwanazi was corrupt, had bankrolled police hit squads, authorised a “shoot to kill” policy, and was deeply entrenched in criminal activity.
Mkhwanazi argues that the allegations were intended to discredit him publicly and have caused severe damage to his reputation.
He is demanding damages of R5 million and a public retraction and apology.
However, O’Sullivan has hit back in a strongly worded media statement released on Tuesday, dismissing the lawsuit as a “desperate attempt to silence a whistleblower.”
"Lt General Mkhwanazi has issued a defamation summons against me, claiming R5 million in damages, for allegations I have levelled against him. Curiously, in his summons he does NOT make any denials whatsoever, but only demands R5 million."
He argued that Mkhwanazi had chosen litigation over responding to “very serious allegations,” which O’Sullivan insists are backed by evidence already reported to law enforcement authorities, including the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI).
O’Sullivan vowed to submit his findings to the Madlanga Commission of Enquiry, adding that he may seek to cross-examine Mkhwanazi during proceedings.
READ: Explainer: The Madlanga Commission: What to know as hearings begin
"Having been subjected in the past to false arrests, unlawful raids, kidnapping, torture and attempted murder by dirty cops, I will not let a summons for a pathetic amount of money stand in the way of exposing what is wrong with our criminal justice system."
ALSO READ
