Cedrick Nkabinde accuses Paul O'Sullivan of unlawful influence in South African policing

SUSPENDED Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedrick Nkabinde, delivered testimony before Parliament, alleging that private investigator Paul O’Sullivan exercised unlawful influence over SAPS, IPID, the NPA, and the broader justice cluster, with senior officials enabling his reach.

Testifying on Wednesday under questioning by MK Party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo, Nkabinde claimed O’Sullivan was “in charge” of internal police and IPID operations despite holding no official role. He told MPs that a single email from O’Sullivan to the national commissioner was enough to block his SAPS appointment.

“He does not play any role in SAPS, but he’s in charge. He can send one email, and everything stops,” he said.

Nkabinde also said he believed he was personally targeted, alleging that O’Sullivan, Robert McBride, and IDAC investigations head Matthews Sesoko “just hate me with passion.”

He explained that he had taken the matter to the Labour Court before eventually receiving an appointment from Mchunu, which he said O’Sullivan could not block because it came from a political office.

He repeatedly insisted that O’Sullivan’s influence extended beyond the police, alleging that O’Sullivan was running IPID, SAPS, and the NPA, and describing it as the real state capture.

According to him, cases involving O’Sullivan were stalled in the NPA, with two dockets “lying in dust,” including one removed from a prosecutor.

Under questioning, Nkabinde said he had “never” had a personal relationship with O’Sullivan but admitted that he and a group within IPID took instructions from him. He alleged that O’Sullivan sometimes arrived at IPID offices, held meetings, issued directions, and even conducted witness interviews using IPID letterheads.

Nkabinde told the committee that O' Sullivan was giving the instructions and that he was in charge of them. 

He further claimed O’Sullivan’s interference was enabled by allies inside SAPS who leaked internal documents, including his own appointment letter. While unable to name specific individuals, Nkabinde argued that O’Sullivan’s access to sensitive information showed that he worked with every senior person in SAPS.

Breaking down the most serious allegations, Nkabinde admitted he was part of a factional task team, created by then-IPID head Robert McBride. He said McBride assembled members from different provinces into what he described as a “national task team,” which communicated via WhatsApp and met physically to strategise.

According to Nkabinde, the aim was to remove the acting national commissioner, Lt-Gen Khomotso Phahlane and ultimately position McBride as national commissioner because, as he put it, “Paul O’Sullivan wanted McBride to become a national commissioner.”

He testified that the team engaged in unlawful interference, including a staged search-and-seizure operation at Phahlane’s home designed to attract media coverage and pressure the president.

“We created a scenario, the aim was to come with the media. Acting national commissioner’s home was raided, so the president will have no choice,” he said, adding that the publicly cited reasons, such as allegations about a sound system and later blue-lights procurement, were fabricated.

Nkabinde also read from his 2018 report alleging that a meeting took place at O’Sullivan’s home. Attendees included McBride, Mandlakayise Mahlangu, Sarah-Jane Trent, a Crime Intelligence operative named Candice, former Gauteng Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya, “two white males” representing AfriForum and the DA, a journalist and himself.

He said the meeting’s purpose was to “plot how to bring down Phahlane” and that AfriForum representatives “guaranteed that the funds were available.”

According to Nkabinde, O’Sullivan was tasked to “spy” on Phahlane and other officials across SAPS, the NPA, SSA, and Crime Intelligence. He insisted Phahlane was targeted because “he did not comply with Paul O’Sullivan” and that McBride was preferred because “he could control McBride.” He said this campaign ultimately led to Phahlane’s suspension.

Nkabinde also claimed that the case in which O’Sullivan and McBride were charged for allegedly impersonating IPID officials was withdrawn only to secure a racketeering certificate and has never resumed. He said Advocate Mashego at the DPP’s office handled the matter, with a major-general, now an acting divisional commissioner, serving as the investigating officer.

Asked whether O’Sullivan received foreign funding for these alleged operations, Nkabinde replied that his report stated “he does have funding from overseas” intended to support interference in SAPS and the wider justice cluster.

Nomvalo concluded by signalling that former acting national commissioner Phahlane and O’Sullivan should be called to testify before Parliament.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE