Courts & Legal
Suliman Carrim goes to court over Madlanga Commission subpoena
A courtroom showdown as commission pressure mounts
An increasingly tense legal battle is unfolding around ANC-linked businessman Suliman Carrim, who has turned to the Gauteng High Court in an urgent attempt to stop the Madlanga Commission from forcing him to testify.
Carrim’s court move comes days before he is due to appear before the commission, which is probing allegations of influence-peddling and questionable financial flows linked to police procurement. At the heart of his application is a demand for clarity. Carrim argues that he cannot be lawfully compelled to give evidence unless the commission clearly outlines the allegations against him and the evidence it intends to rely on.
Why Carrim says the process is unfair
In papers filed with the court, Carrim is asking for an interim interdict that would temporarily block the commission from subpoenaing him until a later hearing decides the merits of his case. His argument rests on how he has been classified by the commission.
Carrim says he has effectively been treated as an implicated person rather than a neutral witness, without being given what he describes as the basic protections of natural justice. He wants the decision to classify him as a witness reviewed and set aside, insisting that the current process has already painted him as guilty before he has had a fair chance to respond.
The commission pushes back
The Madlanga Commission, chaired by Justice Mandisa Madlanga, is opposing Carrim’s application and has filed answering papers ahead of court proceedings. The commission argues that Carrim’s legal challenge threatens to undermine its work and delay its mandate at a critical stage.
From the commission’s perspective, allowing witnesses to block subpoenas could open the door to further delays and weaken its ability to uncover the truth around alleged corruption in police procurement.
Allegations that sparked the legal fight
Carrim’s urgent court action follows testimony that placed him at the centre of serious allegations. A witness, identified only as Witness X, told the commission that Carrim received R1.5 million from alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala shortly after Matlala’s company was paid on a South African Police Service contract.
Further evidence led by the commission included WhatsApp messages in which Carrim appeared to assist with invoices and payments. In some of those exchanges, he was said to have boasted of access to the then Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu. Additional testimony linked Carrim to more than R3 million in litigation funding that allegedly flowed through the foundation of political fixer Brown Mogotsi.
Mogotsi later exonerated Carrim, only to be accused by the commission of lying under oath, adding another layer of complexity to an already tangled narrative.
Public reaction and the bigger picture
Online reaction to Carrim’s court bid has been divided. Some commentators see his move as a necessary defence of constitutional rights, while others argue it reflects a familiar pattern of powerful figures using legal tactics to stall accountability. The case has tapped into a broader public frustration around corruption inquiries that take years to conclude, often without clear consequences.
Commissions of inquiry have become a defining feature of South Africa’s post-state capture era. While they are designed to uncover the truth, they also raise difficult questions about fairness, due process, and the balance between public interest and individual rights.
What happens next
Carrim has denied any wrongdoing and maintains that the allegations against him are false. He insists his court challenge is not about avoiding scrutiny but about ensuring that his rights are respected in a process he believes has already prejudged him.
As the Gauteng High Court considers his urgent application, the outcome will be closely watched. It could shape how the Madlanga Commission proceeds and may set an important precedent for how witnesses and implicated individuals engage with commissions of inquiry going forward.
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Source: IOL
Featured Image: News24
