By Johnathan Paoli
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has postponed controversial businessman Suliman Carrim’s application for a postponement until next Friday, with Chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga reserving a decision on whether the matter should be heard behind closed doors pending an in-camera application.
Resuming proceedings after the lunch adjournment, evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson told the commission that the original timetable could not be maintained after Carrim’s legal team filed its founding affidavit only in the early hours of Friday morning.
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“The postponement application will be heard at 11:30 on Friday, 24 July, on the basis of the following timelines. By 20:00 hours on Friday, 17 July, that’s today, 2026, the Commission will furnish Mr. Carrim with a list of non-medical factual issues on which it presently reserves the right to take issue with the allegations contained in Mr. Carrim’s founding affidavit,” Chaskalson said, reading out the draft application.
He said the commission would simultaneously provide Carrim with “cell phone geolocation and call record data and any other investigative material currently in its possession” that it intended relying on in relation to those factual disputes.
He said that any further investigative material obtained before the hearing would also be disclosed to Carrim as soon as possible.
On Wednesday, Chaskalson had told the commissioners that evidence leaders were in possession of at least two whistleblower reports, including CCTV footage, showing Carrim at a Woolworths in Cape Town, as well as allegations that he had attended social gatherings in his home province of the North West.
Under the timetable, Carrim must submit a consolidated founding affidavit by 13:00 on Tuesday, replacing the affidavit lodged in the early hours of Friday morning.
The commission must file its answering affidavit by 20:00 on Wednesday, while Carrim’s replying affidavit and both parties’ heads of argument must be filed by 20:00 on Thursday.
“So all of the papers in the postponement application will be in by 8 pm. on Thursday and will be argued at 11.30 on Friday,” Chaskalson said.
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The commission will separately determine Carrim’s request for the postponement application to be heard in camera.
Chaskalson explained that the decision would be made on the papers without oral argument.
“The application of Mr. Carrim for the postponement application to be heard in camera will be decided by written ruling of the chairperson handed down on or before 1800 hours on Thursday, 23 July,” he said.
He said the commission would publish a notice advising media organisations that Carrim had applied for in-camera protection because he argued it was impossible to separate highly personal information from the broader postponement application.
According to Chaskalson, Carrim contends that public disclosure would involve “private information relating to his medical condition and his medical treatment” as well as “private information about Mr. Carrim’s family movements and the security threats he and his family have faced.”
Carrim further argued that publication of this information could “risk serious harm to his treatment, dignity, standing within his religious community and public life”, place his children at greater risk following alleged threats, and prejudice his wife’s business and livelihood.
Media organisations wishing to oppose the application have until Monday to notify the Commission, with written submissions due on Tuesday.
After hearing the proposed order, Madlanga indicated that the panel supported the approach.
“Thank you, Mr. Chaskalson. A ruling is granted in these terms,” Madlanga said.
Meanwhile, spokesperson Jeremy Michaels said the commission wanted Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head Advocate Andrea Johnson to testify “as soon as possible”, adding that an update on her appearance was expected within the next few days.
Johnson failed to appear before the Commission on Monday after submitting a medical certificate on the morning she had been scheduled to testify.
Her legal representative told the inquiry she had been rushed to hospital, and her medical certificate expired on Wednesday.
However, National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago has since confirmed that Johnson has returned to work and is “fine”.
Johnson reportedly attended an executive committee meeting on Thursday.
Johnson is expected to respond to allegations that she interfered in the handling of an assault and intimidation case involving suspended Crime Intelligence deputy head Major-General Feroz Khan.
The commission has also heard evidence alleging flaws in IDAC’s investigation into the appointment of Brigadier Dineo Mokwele to Crime Intelligence, as well as the unauthorised and inappropriate sharing of confidential information regarding the investigation with Khan.
The commission continues.
