Johnathan Paoli
A court ruling on Thursday has scuppered businessman Suliman Carrim’s efforts to not testify at the Madlanga Commission.
In a ruling by Judge Denise Fisher in the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court in Johannesburg, the court struck Carrim’s urgent bid to block the commission chair, Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, from compelling his appearance, citing impermissible delay and “self-created urgency”.
Carrim had asked the court to interdict Madlanga from calling on him to file a written statement, subpoenaing him, or otherwise “coercing” him to appear before the commission pending a separate review application.
He also sought an order compelling the commission to answer detailed interrogatories within three days.
The court said Carrim had known since at least October 2025 that his presence was required and that a summons issued under Madlanga’s hand secured that presence “under threat of criminal sanction”, adding that the summons for Friday 6 February was “extant, in force and valid” and had not been challenged.
Fisher said the applicant was not entitled to make his compliance conditional on being furnished with a long list of information, warning that if witnesses could impose such conditions, the commission’s work would be rendered impossible and its constitutional purpose thwarted.
Carrim is expected to be questioned about, among other issues, his relationship with Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and General Feroz Khan, and his alleged role linked to a contract between SAPS and Medicare 24.
The court struck Part A of the application off the roll with costs on scale C, including the costs of two counsel.
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