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Former Independent Police Investigative Directorate
Former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) boss, Robert McBride, says he was not shocked by Lt.General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s July 6th press conference.
He says some of the allegations by the KwaZulu-Natal top cop in that press conference did not come as a surprise to him because as the head of IPID, he had investigated some of the allegations.
McBride was responding to questions by MP’s on the Parliamentary ad hoc committee looking into concerns around national security, on day two of his appearance before it.
Witness testimonies at the Ad Hoc Committee kicked off four months ago.
So far, everyone agrees that there has been wrongdoing and criminality within the South African Police Service but, since day one, fingers have been pointing everywhere.
The former IPID head Robert McBride says at the heart of this web is the Crime Intelligence slush fund.
“It’s never not abused. You control generals, politicians with that slush fund.”
McBride explains that along the way, certain individuals became collatoral damage as factions went to war over this slush fund, “They targeted Dramat because he was busy with investigations into use of funds at the former minister’s house.”
McBride refers to Mkhwanazi’s allegations of criminality and corruption within the South African Police Service as a ruse and part of the factional wars within the sector.
However, he says Mkhwanazi’s inference to cartels operating within South Africa is highly plausable, “I’ve mentioned all this before. In the absence of state authority, people will always look for a gap.”
O’ Sullivan
McBride’s relationship with private investigator Paul O’ Sullivan has been a key talking point.
MPs are concerned about O’ Sullivan’s proximity to important investigations in South Africa saying McBride had allowed O’ Sullivan to infiltrate IPID.
Allegations of an intimate relationship between McBride, and O’ Sullivan’s researcher, Sarah Jane Trent, muddied the water even further.
Telephonic conversations between McBride and Trent, were read out in the committee, by Action SA’s Dereleen James, “Dee talking about the relationship between the two.”
McBride would not go into detail about this, saying he first needed to know where the information came from.
During the closing remarks, evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse referred to James reading of these messages as an ambush on McBride and asked that he be provided with all the documentation she referred to.
Committee proceedings are continuing.
Robert McBride appears before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee | 21 January 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slwJaqeAHaU
