Former acting national police commissioner General Kgomotso Phahlane. (Photo: Deaan Vivier / Beeld / Gallo Images) 
“We wish to place on record that Ms [Marianne] Thamm has never in her life attended a braai at the house of Mr Paul O’Sullivan,” noted Daily Maverick’s attorney, Charl du Plessis, in a letter addressed to Soviet Lekganyane on 22 January 2026, “nor has she ever attended a meeting involving any of the diverse persons described by General [Khomotso] Phahlane.”
Du Plessis called on Lekganyane — in his role as the chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee to Investigate Allegations made by Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi — to require that Phahlane provide proof of his allegations, failing which he should apologise to Thamm.
“As the chairperson will be aware, placing false testimony before parliament constitutes a criminal offence,” Du Plessis’ wrote, before asking the chairperson to take “appropriate action”.
The proceedings before the ad hoc committee took place at the Good Hope Chamber in Cape Town’s parliamentary precinct, which had been selected to host National Assembly sittings following the 2022 fire. Video footage (see from 8;01;00) shows Phahlane apparently quoting from an affidavit of police ministry chief of staff Cedrick Nkabinde, which had been deposed in support of a previous application.
“During the end of 2016 or beginning of 2017,” Phahlane testified, “I cannot recall the exact date or month, there was a meeting that took place at Mr Paul O’Sullivan’s house, the former house of well-known Mr Radovan Krejcir, whereby Mr Paul O’Sullivan was chairing this meeting and amongst other people present were Robert McBride, Mandlakayise Mahlangu, Cedrick Nkabinde, Sarah-Jane Trent, Candice from Crime Intelligence, Mr Shadrack Sibiya, two white male representatives, one from AfriForum and one from the DA, one white lady journalist and one black male, who was busy preparing fire for the braai. This white lady journalist is Marianne Thamm…”
Later in his testimony, Phahlane claimed that (forensic investigator) O'Sullivan and (former IPID executive director) McBride had employed the services of specific journalists to run a smear campaign against him. Aside from Thamm, the journalists he named were Abram Mashego, Karyn Maughan, Graeme Hosken and Pieter-Louis Myburgh. Still, as the recording showed, Phahlane repeatedly mentioned Thamm.
According to Phahlane, a judge had authorised the interception of cellphone communications involving O'Sullivan's associate Sarah-Jane Trent — which, Phahlane claimed, was how he knew the identities of the journalists.
Predictably, the consequences of Phahlane’s disputed accusations have been severe for Thamm, a respected veteran journalist and assistant editor of Daily Maverick.
“The statements by General Phahlane have led to a predictable torrent of social media abuse and threats being directed at Ms Thamm and her family,” Du Plessis wrote.
Given the seriousness of the allegations, Du Plessis called on Phahlane to “provide evidence to the committee” of Thamm’s supposed sojourn to the former home of Krejcir (which O’Sullivan, famously, had bought from the Czech mob boss in 2015).
Failing the provision of such evidence, including “any CCTV footage” that had “purportedly” been obtained, Du Plessis requested that Lekganyane consider demanding from Phahlane “a retraction and apology” to Thamm.
In the early evening of 3 February 2026, almost two weeks after the letter had been sent to Lekganyane, Du Plessis received a response from the “content advisor” to the portfolio committee on police, Nicolette van Zyl-Gous.
“The communication is hereby acknowledged,” Van Zyl-Gous informed Daily Maverick’s attorney, “and I confirm that the letter has been brought to [Lekganyane’s] attention when first received.”
Daily Maverick has sent a list of questions to Phahlane, but as of this writing has not received a response. We will continue to follow developments. DM