By Johnathan Paoli
North West businessman and former ANC regional treasurer Suliman Carrim will spend the weekend in custody after the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court postponed his bail proceedings to Monday to allow police to complete investigations into his residential address and background.
Carrim, 49, appeared in court on Friday after being arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday evening as he prepared to board an international flight.
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He faces a charge under the Commissions Act following his failure to comply with a subpoena issued by the Madlanga Commission, which is investigating allegations of corruption and criminal interference in the criminal justice system.
Carrim testified before the commission in March but failed to return for further questioning in April, June and July, citing medical reasons.
Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga subsequently ordered him to appear on 14 August or undergo an independent medical assessment. After Carrim failed to comply, the commission instructed its secretary to lay criminal charges.
Cat Matlala links
The commission has been examining Carrim’s financial dealings with corruption and attempted-murder-accused businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala, whose company, Medicare24 Tshwane District, was awarded a controversial R228-million police health service healthcare contract that was eventually cancelled in May 2025 following allegations of procurement irregularities.
During Friday’s proceedings, prosecutor Donald Shiko argued that further investigations were necessary because several addresses were linked to Carrim, his residential address had not been physically verified, and police needed to establish the circumstances surrounding previously withdrawn cases reflected in his profile.
“From the state side, the bail investigations are still incomplete. We would like to place on record that the state had obtained the profile of the accused person. However, such an attainment of the profile was done two months back when the matter was then reported to the South African Police Service,” Shiko said, requesting a postponement.
Investigating officer Captain Kubayi testified that police had not physically verified Carrim’s address in Mahikeng, North West, and wanted to establish whether he lived there.
The state said several other addresses had been identified, including properties in Johannesburg and a reported property in Cape Town.
Shiko also raised concerns that Carrim might leave South Africa and fail to return for the proceedings.
The prosecutor said Carrim had initially produced only a one-way ticket to Dubai and had been travelling with substantial luggage when he was arrested.
But the defence produced a return itinerary, which was admitted as an exhibit, to challenge that argument.
Right to freedom
Defence counsel Hendrik Potgieter opposed the postponement, saying that the state’s request had to be weighed against his client’s constitutional right to freedom and the seriousness of the charge.
Potgieter said Carrim had lived at his Mahikeng address for 17 years and submitted documents supporting his claim.
He argued that keeping Carrim in custody while police completed address checks was disproportionate, particularly given the penalty prescribed under the Commissions Act.
Section 6 of the Act provides for a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment, a fine or both for certain offences involving non-compliance with a commission’s lawful requirements.
Potgieter also disputed the suggestion that Carrim was a flight risk, telling the court that his client travelled annually for religious and humanitarian purposes and intended to return to South Africa.
The return itinerary presented in court indicated that Carrim was scheduled to return to Johannesburg on 27 October. Police separately confirmed that he had a return booking, although they gave his expected return date as 28 October.
Carrim told the court that he had undertaken similar trips for about 17 years, travelling to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and that his luggage contained snacks intended for children as part of humanitarian work.
“I’ve been to Dubai before and I’ve always come back,” Carrim said.
He also denied owning property in Cape Town and disputed concerns about his criminal profile, saying he had never previously been arrested.
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Potgieter argued that prosecutors had sufficient time to verify Carrim’s documentation and that the outstanding checks did not justify continued detention.
“If they want to, they can make a call to the travel agent which appears on this document and verify it now. But to give the state an opportunity now to go and verify something that is so obvious, it can never be reasonable and I have to object to that,” he said.
Carrim’s health
Potgieter also raised concerns about Carrim’s health, telling the court that he had a heart condition, had previously been hospitalised and suffered from anxiety and panic attacks.
He said his client had not taken his medication on Friday morning and feared the stress of the proceedings could trigger another episode.
“Your Worship, I’m informed by the accused person that the stress and anxiety is taking a toll on him. He didn’t use any medication this morning and he further states that he can feel that it might lead to a panic attack, which would be detrimental to his medical condition,” Potgieter said.
Carrim later asked for permission to sit down while standing in the dock.
Shiko denied that the state was deliberately delaying the proceedings.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the magistrate ruled that further information was required before an informed decision on bail could be made and postponed the matter.
