The testimony of forensic examiner Paul O’Sullivan at Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, came to an abrupt end on Thursday when he walked out of the hearing.
O’Sullivan had returned to the committee on Wednesday morning to conclude his testimony, after it had been previously suspended due to his falling ill. However, the proceedings were marked by contentious exchanges between O’Sullivan and members of the Ad Hoc committee from the outset.
Throughout Wednesday's proceedings, O'Sullivan vehemently denied allegations made by MK Party MP David Skosana, who repeatedly referred to him as “a spy and a thug”.
“I am not a spy, and I have never been a spy. I have served this country well and faithfully for 36 years,” O'Sullivan asserted in response to the accusations.
Tensions escalated as Advocate Bongiwe Mkhize continued her questioning of O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan repeatedly raised concerns about the time, stating that he needed to leave the hearing by 1 pm to catch his flight and avoid incurring the financial cost of rescheduling.
As Mkhize was nearing the end of her questions, O’Sullivan abruptly stood up, gathered his belongings, and began to walk out of the proceedings. EFF leader Julius Malema intervened, telling him that he should sit down as he had not been dismissed by the committee.
MK Party MP David Skosana then stood up and declared that they would open a case against O’Sullivan for walking out of the hearing.
“You are walking out,” both Malema and Skosana stated, to which O’Sullivan replied, “I am finished”. Malema countered that the decision to dismiss him needed to be made by the committee chair, Soviet Lekganyane. Despite the objections, O'Sullivan continued to leave the hearing, bringing his testimony to an unceremonious end.
O’Sullivan kept walking past the members of Parliament and out of the proceedings.
Once he had left the hearing, Lekganyane had members of the committee weigh-in to which it was decided that they would get instruction from Parliamentary legal services on how to proceed.
O’Sullivan kept walking past the members of Parliament and out of the proceedings.
Once he had left the hearing, Lekganyane convened the remaining members of the committee. A palpable tension filled the room as they debated their next steps. "This is unprecedented," Lekganyane stated, his voice tight with frustration. "We need to ensure we're acting within our authority." A flurry of opinions followed, some advocating for a warrant for O'Sullivan's arrest, others urging caution. Ultimately, Lekganyane brought the discussion to a close, stating that they would seek immediate instruction from Parliamentary legal services on how to proceed, effectively halting the hearing until further guidance was received. The abrupt departure left a void, raising serious questions about the committee's authority and the future of the investigation.
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