ActionSA’s Parliamentary Leader, Athol Trollip, has opened a criminal case against prominent forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, accusing him of intimidation and obstructing parliamentary oversight. The charges were filed at the Cape Town Central Police Station yesterday.
Alleged Intimidation and Personal Attacks
Trollip claims that O’Sullivan sent him a series of derogatory and threatening text messages, including personal insults and accusations of supporting alleged criminal activity. In one message, O’Sullivan reportedly called Trollip “an arrogant fool” and accused him of defending National Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, whom O’Sullivan labeled “one of the biggest criminals that ever wore a police uniform.”
Trollip maintains that he was merely performing his parliamentary oversight duties by calling for an investigation into allegations involving O’Sullivan and Mkhwanazi.
“I am not a criminal, and all I was doing as a public representative was ensuring accountability,” Trollip stated. “If my oversight work intimidates him and elicits this kind of response, it only strengthens my resolve.”
He also referenced a veiled threat in O’Sullivan’s messages, where the investigator allegedly warned that he would discourage support for ActionSA and its leader, Herman Mashaba.
O’Sullivan Fires Back
O’Sullivan has since issued a sworn statement denying Trollip’s claims. He warned that if his statement is not included in the criminal case file, he would file a counter-charge for “defeating the ends of justice.”
ActionSA Pushes for Deputy Minister Abolishment
Meanwhile, ActionSA announced that its private member’s bill to eliminate deputy minister positions is now open for public comment. The party argues that scrapping these roles would save taxpayers R1.5 billion annually, excluding additional costs such as overseas travel, which reportedly amounted to nearly R200 million in one year.
“We’re not doing this because we dislike deputy ministers—we simply can’t afford them,” an ActionSA representative said.
The public has one month to submit comments on the proposed bill.
As the legal battle between Trollip and O’Sullivan unfolds, the case raises questions about the boundaries of political discourse and the protection of elected officials from perceived intimidation.
