North West businessman Suliman Carrim failed to appear before the Madlanga Commission in June 2026, citing ongoing ill health for his absence. The commission, a judicial inquiry tasked with investigating systemic corruption and political interference within South Africa’s criminal justice system, is now forced to revisit the scheduling of his testimony.
Commission Response And Procedural Hurdles
Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels confirmed that the body would address the implications of Carrim’s latest absence during proceedings scheduled for the following morning. Carrim was previously hospitalised in April 2026 following a suspected heart attack, which resulted in an earlier postponement of his evidence.
The last time Mr Carrim was meant to appear before the commission, he couldn’t due to ill health. It seems his condition persists. As far as tomorrow’s proceedings are concerned, we will deal with Mr Carrim’s matter tomorrow morning.
Context Of The Inquiry And Allegations
The Madlanga Commission, chaired by retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, was established in July 2025 by President Cyril Ramaphosa to probe state capture allegations within the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and intelligence services. Carrim remains a central figure of interest due to his alleged financial ties to police tender processes and his reported associations with individuals such as Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.
Efforts by Carrim to secure in-camera hearings due to security concerns have been rejected by the commission, which maintains that proceedings must remain open to ensure public transparency. Having already unsuccessfully challenged his appearance before the High Court in February 2026, Carrim’s continued absence adds to mounting delays in the inquiry’s schedule.
The commission is expected to make a formal decision regarding his compelled presence during the next sitting.