Suliman Carrim leaves medical facility every day, Madlanga commission hears
· Citizen
Geolocation data has shown that businessman Suliman Carrim has spent more time outside a medical institution than in it, despite his reported ill health.
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This was revealed by evidence leader Adila Hassim before the Madlanga commission at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria on Friday, 24 July 2026.
According to Hassim, Carrim’s wife confirmed this in an affidavit.
“She says I accept that the geo-location data generally reflects my husband’s movements; I do not dispute the accuracy of the data or seek to explain it away.
“We’ve explained in the answering affidavit the analysis of the maps and the geolocation data and what they show, and what they show is that almost every single day Mr Carrim leaves the facility.
“And that on most days, he’s out of the facility for at least eight hours, sometimes longer,” she said.
Suliman Carrim seeks postponement of testimony
Proceedings on Friday focused on arguments from Carrim’s legal team and the commission’s evidence leaders regarding his latest bid to postpone his appearance.
The application follows the commission’s second rejection this week of Carrim’s request for in camera proceedings.
His initial attempt earlier this year was similarly unsuccessful, resulting in him giving evidence publicly over two days in March.
Since then, Carrim has not attended multiple scheduled appearances, citing ill health after allegedly suffering a heart attack in April.
His repeated absences have raised concerns, prompting the commission to subpoena his medical records as well as CCTV footage.
This follows reports that he was seen at a Woolworths store in a Western Cape shopping centre in mid-July.
There are also claims that he has attended social gatherings in the North West, despite maintaining that he is medically unfit to testify.
Legal team challenges CCTV evidence
Advocate Kameel Premhid, representing Carrim, informed the commission that while 14 August had been proposed as a possible return date, his client is seeking an indefinite postponement.
He challenged the relevance of the CCTV footage, arguing “it doesn’t serve a legitimate purpose” and would not assist the commission.
“The footage is an inappropriate form of evidence because ultimately what underlies the commission’s concern and complaint about my client’s postponement is a medical issue,” the lawyer said.
Commission chairperson Mbuyiseli Madlanga, however, questioned the relevance of medical opinion in light of visual evidence placing Carrim in Durbanville.
“I see it as objective material which says he was there, so I don’t see the connection with what a medical practitioner might have to say on the issue,” Madlanga said.
Premhid conceded that Carrim’s presence in the Western Cape was not disputed.
Medical examination and possible prosecution
Premhid told the commission that Carrim’s treating doctor in Cape Town has committed to providing sworn updates on his condition every two weeks.
While his client does not oppose an independent medical examination, Premhid argued that the treating doctor’s findings should first be considered before any external assessment is commissioned.
The lawyer later noted that there’s a threat of referral for prosecution if Carrim does not appear again before the commission.
He also addressed the “threat” of prosecution should Carrim fail to appear again.
“If the commission feels that an offence has been committed and that a referral for prosecution must be made, then the evidence leaders must do what they deem appropriate, and Mr Carrim will also do what he deems appropriate, including leading evidence – whether at a pre-prosecution decision stage in front of the NDPP [National Director of Public Prosecutions] or at a post-prosecution decision stage in court – that he was medically and legally advised throughout, and that any prosecution will fail because there is an absence of willfulness, and that will be demonstrated on the evidence.
“But I don’t think you have to worry about that so much. That’s out of your hands once any such recommendation would be made,” Premhid said.
Disclosure sparks objection
Tensions escalated during the hearing when Hassim accidentally disclosed that Carrim had received a “psychiatric diagnosis” while explaining the commission’s request for surveillance footage.
Although she apologised after being reprimanded by Madlanga, Premhid objected strongly, pointing out that this was the second time Carrim’s medical information had been revealed in open proceedings.
A similar incident involving chief evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson was referenced.
“My client’s rights are now really being prejudiced,” the lawyer said.
Madlanga commission opposes postponement
Hassim maintained that the commission should not grant another postponement without first requiring Carrim, who previously claimed he has faced death threats, to undergo an independent medical examination.
“That is the heart of the opposition by the evidence leaders to a postponement,” she remarked.
She highlighted that Carrim has now sought five postponements since being called to testify on 15 April, with the projected recovery periods becoming progressively longer.
“We have had a history of postponements where the length of time that we are told that Mr Carrim will be incapacitated has varied and grown each time.
“In the beginning it was a few weeks, then it was eight to 12 weeks, then it was six months in the latest rounds of affidavits.
“It’s very important for the evidence leaders that we have a fixed date for the postponement.”