Pretoria – North West businessman Suliman Carrim has been ordered to return to the witness stand after the Madlanga Commission rejected his bid to indefinitely postpone his testimony on medical grounds.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by commission chairperson, retired judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, who said Carrim must appear before the commission on 14 August 2026.
Carrim’s legal team had requested an indefinite postponement, citing health concerns.
Breaking news
The #MadlangaCommission has ordered businessman Suliman Carrim to appear in person when he testifies on 14 August 2026.
Carrim will only be allowed to testify remotely if an independent medical specialist, agreed upon by both his legal team and the Commission,… pic.twitter.com/bLgkrros5g
— MDN NEWS (@MDNnewss) July 29, 2026
However, the commission’s evidence leaders opposed the application, arguing that despite claims of being medically incapacitated, Carrim had reportedly been leaving his medical facility for extended periods of up to eight hours a day.
Madlanga ruled that any further postponement would only be considered if Carrim voluntarily undergoes an independent medical examination by a specialist jointly selected by his legal team and the commission. The specialist must submit a report by 12 August confirming that he is medically unfit to testify.
⚖️ Commission Chairperson, Retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, has postponed Suliman Carrim’s testimony to 14 August 2026. Carrim will be required to appear and testify in person unless he voluntarily undergoes an independent medical evaluation and a specialist confirms, by 12… pic.twitter.com/IShfrcCfwC
— Ngada Attorneys (@attorneysngada) July 29, 2026
Should Carrim fail to comply, the commission will appoint its own independent medical practitioner to assess his condition.
Carrim has not appeared before the commission since 9 and 10 March, after claiming he suffered a heart attack in April. His prolonged absence has attracted scrutiny following reports that he was seen shopping at a Woolworths store in the Western Cape and attending social events in the North West despite maintaining that he was too ill to testify.
The commission also inadvertently revealed that Carrim had received a psychiatric diagnosis.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
