-
ActionSA Parliamentary leader, Athol Trollip.
ActionSA Parliamentary leader Athol Trollip has opened a criminal case against forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, citing a string of text messages he considers intimidating and hindering his Parliamentary oversight duties.
Trollip laid the charges at Cape Town Central Police Station on Monday morning, saying he feels intimidated by O’Sullivan’s conduct.
He describes the messages as a direct attack on an elected official, stressing that such behaviour must be addressed through legal channels.
“I have been looking at your misinformed attacks on me on social media because someone forwarded them to me. You are clearly an arrogant fool who doesn’t have a clue what’s going on. Mkhwanazi is one of the biggest criminals that ever wore a police uniform; his crimes, when they are finally exposed, will shock the nation. Best part is, unlike you, you are in receipt of my taxpayer rand. I don’t get a single cent, then he said you attacked me personally on social media as if you’re Mkhwanazi’s right-hand man, which means that you must be supporting his criminal conduct. Either that, you are far too stupid to know a criminal when you see one.”
Trollip says he was merely doing his oversight work.
“I am not a criminal. All I was doing, as a public representative and Member of Parliament, was calling for the allegations, both his and Mkhwanazi’s, to be investigated. If that intimidates him and elicits this kind of response, it’s absolutely melodramatic. He goes further, he threatens ActionSA leader, he threatens Herman Mashaba, he says he will tell everyone he knows not to support ActionSA. All that does is encourage more all more because there is a saying that says if you want to dog kick it and the owner will come out very quickly. I want to know why paul o’sullivan has come out guns blazing like he has against me and it will come out,” he adds.
O’Sullivan has made his own sworn statement, rebutting Trollip’s claims. He says if this sworn statement is not attached to the criminal charge against him, he will lay a countercharge of defeating the ends of justice.
Meanwhile, ActionSA says its private members’ bill aiming to abolish deputy ministers’ positions is out for public comment.
“We’re not just doing it because we don’t like deputy ministers. One we can’t afford it. It would save us R1.5 billion every year if we just got rid of them, that is not even counting their travel, they love travelling, nearly R200 million in overseas travel in one year,” Trollip explains.
The bill is out for public comment for a month.
