Countdown to conclusion: Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee resumes hearings next week

The countdown is on for Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by SAPS KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who has until February 20, 2026 to complete their work, and the committee intends to hit the ground running next week.

The committee met virtually on Wednesday, where they discussed its public participation process, the programme relating to the resumption of oral hearings, as well as received a report on cases against forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan.

The committee had an extensive list of agenda points to discuss, but only made minor resolutions with the intent to reconvene early next week before their hearings officially start on Wednesday.

The testimonies of controversial ANC-aligned North West businessman Brown Mogotsi and O’Sullivan were significant talking points during the meeting.

In regard to O’Sullivan, the committee decided that they would have Parliament’s legal team give them a presentation on the status of the various charges against him, as charges had previously been withdrawn.

O’Sullivan’s name arose during the testimony of Mkhwanazi and when suspended police minister’s chief of staff, Cedrick Nkabinde, claimed that O’Sullivan wields the power to influence operations in the South African Police Service, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

The committee also agreed that both O’Sullivan and Mogotsi should appear before the committee, and agreed that they must use whatever means at their disposal to make sure they appear in person and not virtually.

The ANC’s Xola Nqola said: “(These) witnesses must be dragged kicking and screaming to the Ad Hoc committee.”

Committee members also reiterated that Mkhwanazi will have to appear again before the committee completes its work in February.

Another pressing matter for the committee is the oral submissions from the civil society groups and the public, with them expecting to put a weekend aside in the coming weeks to hear the submissions.

The committee received substantive submissions from civil groups, including: Accountability Now (Affidavit), African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF), Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Dullah Omar Institute / ACJR (University of the Western Cape), Gun Free South Africa, and Mr Ramavhulela.

They had submissions from: Patricia Mashale, Brigadier Hlungwani (former Head of Secret Service Account), Cpt Ramalepe, Mr Dotyeni (former SAPS Crime Intelligence analyst), Lt General Mdluli, Mr Mlandu, Mr Mashukuca, Mr Mafhoho, Mr Chetty, an anonymous individual, Advocate Mrwebi, Dr Rolls, Advocate Maqebhula, Mr Miya, and Mr Mokgope.

Based on the public submissions received, a Public Participation Report is set to be compiled, adopted by the Ad Hoc Committee, and published in the Announcements, Tablings and Committee Reports (ATC) for noting by the National Assembly.

The Public Participation Report will be prepared and adopted separately from the committee’s final report, and will be drafted for adoption once the public participation process has been concluded.

“Even if we were going to listen to two or three of them, it makes an important statement that the people of the public is being listened to by Parliament.

“Let us be seen doing that, acting in the name of those who may not have access to public institutions, or who may not have the voice for themselves or have representation. We are acting on their behalf and (we have to) make sure we deal with those issues,” said Ad Hoc chairperson, Lekganyane Soviet.

They also said that they will remain open to adding more people from the public and not just keeping those who gave public submissions as to remain open and fair.

The committee is set to resume with the testimony of former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane and head of crime intelligence, Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo.

Phahlane is expected to appear before the committee on Wednesday, and Khumalo has been set down for Thursday and Friday.

Other witnesses expected before the committee this month include former IPID boss Robert McBride and EMPD Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi.

theolin.tembo@inl.co.za