Paul O’Sullivan’s appearance before parliament’s ad hoc committee rests on a sweeping allegation: that elements within the South African Police Service (SAPS), the NPA and parts of the political executive were systematically infiltrated to protect criminal networks and obstruct accountability.
In his affidavit, O’Sullivan centres his account on his tenure at Airports Company South Africa (Acsa) in 2001, when he served as group executive for aviation security. He states that internal reviews exposed irregular multimillion-rand security contracts and that he moved to cancel agreements valued at about R100m annually, with a projected three-year value of roughly R300m.
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He alleges that payments linked to a contractor flowed to senior Acsa officials and to then-national police commissioner Jackie Selebi. After initiating cancellations and criminal complaints, he claims he faced threats, litigation and interference in investigations, with certain cases allegedly withdrawn following senior intervention.
He frames this period as the point at which the police service became vulnerable to criminal capture. According to his account, corrupt relationships flourished under Selebi’s leadership while reform efforts were undermined.
He situates these developments within the broader political turbulence of the mid-2000s, including the disbanding of the Scorpions, which he argues weakened anti-corruption capacity.
The affidavit then shifts to the period from 2011 onwards. O’Sullivan says he identified further misconduct within the criminal justice system, naming senior prosecutors and police generals. He alleges that, in response, criminal cases were opened against him, his offices were raided and co-ordinated efforts were made to discredit him. He characterises these steps as retaliatory.
He is also critical of the Zondo Commission, arguing that it failed to confront what he regards as the central issue — corruption within the criminal justice system itself — despite spending more than R100m of public funds.
In addressing the current inquiry, O’Sullivan rejects allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. He accuses Mkhwanazi of misleading both the public and parliament and asserts that serious corruption within Crime Intelligence, including matters relating to the Secret Service Account, has not been fully ventilated.
The affidavit further alleges political interference in SAPS structures. O’Sullivan attached annexures and open-source research which, he argues, show links between senior political figures, advisers and state entities that contributed to institutional vulnerability.
At the same time, O’Sullivan himself faces significant allegations. He has been accused of acting as an undeclared foreign operative or maintaining inappropriate links to foreign intelligence — claims he categorically denies.
He is further accused of exerting improper influence over oversight bodies and investigative processes, including allegations that he interfered in Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) matters. Critics also question the overlap between his private forensic work, business interests and public prosecutions, suggesting conflicts of interest. In addition, he faces claims that his long-running disputes with senior officials contributed to the politicisation of policing.
O’Sullivan rejected each of these accusations, portraying himself as a whistleblower targeted for exposing corruption. He cites alleged attempts on his life, unlawful raids and prolonged legal battles as evidence of retaliation.
The committee moved on to direct questioning by MPs.
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