Phahlane tells Parliament of alleged McBride–O’Sullivan plot to destroy his life

By Johnathan Paoli

Former acting National Police Commissioner Lt-Gen Khomotso Phahlane has told Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee that a coordinated “project”, allegedly led by former IPID head Robert McBride and forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, was aimed at destroying his reputation, career and personal life.

He claimed the campaign involved media manipulation and fabricated investigations, and followed a violent attack on him and his wife.

Addressing the committee after lunch on Wednesday, Phahlane said the campaign against him culminated in what he described as a sustained propaganda drive, amplified by selected journalists, under the guise of fighting corruption.

He detailed how he and his wife were attacked by three armed men while visiting a spa in Johannesburg on 5 June 2016, an incident he said remains deeply troubling.

Phahlane told MPs that the first person to contact him after the attack was McBride, who sent him a WhatsApp message offering assistance.