MPs Livid After Paul O’Sullivan Drops "Paragraph 3" Bomb to Block Post-1990 Questions

Описание: #madlangacommission #adhoccommittee #paulosullivan

MPs Livid After Paul O’Sullivan Drops "Paragraph 3" Bomb to Block Post-1990 Questions

Here is a punchy, high-engagement introduction for your article. This draft is designed to hook the reader immediately by highlighting the tension between O'Sullivan's legal maneuvering and the MPs' explosive reaction.

MPs Livid After Paul O’Sullivan Drops "Paragraph 3" Bomb to Block Post-1990 Questions
CAPE TOWN — What was supposed to be a standard session of parliamentary inquiry turned into a forty-six-minute firestorm this week. The catalyst? A single, contentious sentence buried in Paragraph 3 of Paul O’Sullivan’s submission.

In a move that caught several lawmakers off guard, O’Sullivan asserted a condition that effectively placed a "blackout" on his testimony: he would not—and according to his argument, could not—be questioned on any events occurring after 1990.

The reaction from the benches was immediate and visceral. MPs across the political spectrum were left reeling, with some describing the move as a "calculated gag order" designed to shield the investigator from modern scrutiny. As the clock ticked through nearly an hour of heated procedural debates, the core question remained: Is Paragraph 3 a legitimate legal safeguard, or a masterclass in avoiding accountability?

"We are not here to discuss ancient history; we are here for the truth of the present," shouted one frustrated committee member during the exchange.

Key Points of the 46-Minute Standoff:
The "Time-Lock" Argument: O’Sullivan’s insistence that his mandate or legal standing is tied strictly to pre-1990 contexts.

The MP Backlash: Why lawmakers feel this sets a dangerous precedent for future witnesses.

The Procedural Limbo: How the inquiry ground to a halt as legal teams scrambled to interpret the validity of the "Paragraph 3" clause.

#PaulOSullivan #Paragraph3 #AdHocCommittee #SAPSInquiry #ParliamentSA #SouthAfricaPolitics