--- title: "‘Sick’ businessman Suliman Carrim definitely visited Cape Town mall" description: "The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard that ANC-linked businessman Suliman Carrim, who a doctor declared too ill to continue testifying, visited a Cape Town mall. And an evidence leader at the commission has again asked that an independent medical opinion be obtained." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "MADLANGA COMMISSION" author: "Caryn Dolley" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/caryn-dolley-for-amabhungane/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-24-sick-businessman-suliman-carrim-definitely-visited-cape-town-mall/" published: "2026-07-24T18:26:48" updated: "2026-07-24T18:26:51" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 1209 --- # ‘Sick’ businessman Suliman Carrim definitely visited Cape Town mall > The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has heard that ANC-linked businessman Suliman Carrim, who a doctor declared too ill to continue testifying, visited a Cape Town mall. And an evidence leader at the commission has again asked that an independent medical opinion be obtained. By Caryn Dolley · Published 24 July 2026, 20:26 SAST · Updated 24 July 2026, 20:26 SAST ## Key points - The Madlanga Commission has heard how ANC-linked businessman Suliman Carrim was at a shop and eatery in a Cape Town mall. - This outing happened while he has been deemed medically unfit to testify before the commission, which is investigating allegations that criminals have infiltrated the state. - An evidence leader has called for an independent medical opinion on Carrim. - The commission chair has questioned Carrim’s failure to provide required financial information. ## Content North West ANC-linked businessman Suliman Carrim was at a shop and an eatery in Cape Town recently – even though a doctor deemed him medically unfit to testify before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. On Friday, 24 July 2026, the commission heard an application, brought by Carrim (whose first name is also recorded as Suleiman), to postpone his testimony before it. A ruling on his application will be made at a later stage. During Friday’s proceedings, it emerged that earlier this month, Carrim had been at a mall in Durbanville, in Cape Town’s northern suburbs, where he went into a Woolworths store and a Kauai eatery. Previously, it was heard that based on two whistleblower reports, he may have been at the mall. This was confirmed on Friday. ### **Private vs public** Carrim had previously indicated to the commission that he was medically unfit to continue testifying before it as a witness. Details of his medical condition have not been divulged. Last week, after it surfaced that Carrim may have been out and about in Cape Town, it also emerged that he felt that publicising issues around his movements could put his family at risk. ![carrim-woolies-caryn](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/ffenPc3C7cVLJmt2BCkVxI2zAEk=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/ED_594808_171345.jpg) *Businessman Suliman Carrim at the Madlanga Commission Of Inquiry on 6 February 2026. (Photo: Gallo Images /Frennie Shivambu)* Carrim also indicated that he wanted to apply to postpone his testimony at the commission, and he wanted this application to be heard in camera. In other words, Carrim wanted the application to be totally private. News publications, including Daily Maverick, had opposed a move that all aspects of the application should be private, and on Thursday it was ruled that the application would be heard in an open session – with conditions. [Read more ‘Sick’ businessman Carrim, who may’ve been out shopping, now says his movements are private July 17, 2026 ![Image](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/hNqote4oEJibnwEScfDefAEatDo=/450x0/smart/file/attachments/orphans/ED_594812_967971.jpg)](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-07-17-sick-businessman-carrim-who-mayve-been-out-shopping-now-says-his-movements-are-private/) These conditions were that details about Carrim’s medical condition, where he was being treated, and the names and addresses of his family members would not be publicised. Friday’s commission proceedings therefore focused on his postponement application, with certain details being withheld from the public. ### **‘Day-to-day functioning’** Evidence leader advocate Adila Hassim SC said that Carrim was requesting a fifth postponement. She said the commission should consider granting him a postponement – the date of 14 August 2026 was flagged – but with conditions, including that independent medical evidence on his condition be obtained. It is not the first time this has been requested. Hassim brought up Carrim’s movements in Cape Town. She explained to the commission that she was referencing his mall visit, not to disprove any (medical) diagnosis about him, but to illustrate his “day-to-day functioning capacity”. ![Advocate Adila Hassim SC, an evidence leader at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, in Pretoria on 29 September 2025. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/ARWHilqulp7y4vC1n37mHG6Uyig=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/6I1A0968.jpg) *Advocate Adila Hassim SC, an evidence leader at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, in Pretoria on 29 September 2025. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)* There was CCTV footage of Carrim’s mall visit, but it was not aired during Friday’s proceedings. Carrim has two wives, and with his doctor, they provided details about his movements in response to the commission. Hassim said Carrim’s doctor had explained that leaving a hospital facility required authorisation and it was subject to strict conditions, including being searched. She said that the doctor stated that Carrim had been on a “four-hour chaperoned excursion” between 1 and 5pm. (This appeared to reference his Durbanville mall visit on 14 July.) > MADLANGA COMMISSION | Advocate Adila Hassim SC says the data presented to the commission shows that Suliman Carrim spends more time outside the facility than inside. [pic.twitter.com/TjdsRlLjHv](https://t.co/TjdsRlLjHv) > > — SABC News (@SABCNews) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SABCNews/status/2080668491699331499?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) The doctor did not know Carrim’s precise movements during that excursion. Hassim also told the commission that Carrim’s second wife said she did not know about an apparent trip Carrim made to Mahikeng, but when comparing this with what his first wife had said, it raised questions around the second wife’s stance. According to Hassim, it appeared that Carrim spent most of his time outside a medical facility instead of inside it. This was why she felt an independent medical assessment of Carrim was necessary. ### **Potential prosecution** On Friday, Carrim’s advocate, Kameel Premhid, argued that the CCTV (showing Carrim at the Durbanville mall) should not be shown publicly because it was “unnecessary” and “not appropriate”. Premhid said Carrim had essentially responded to the commission’s allegations via an affidavit. It was accepted that Carrim had been at a mall in Durbanville and, according to Premhid, screening the footage was therefore no longer necessary. During Friday’s proceedings, Premhid acknowledged a “threat” that Carrim may be referred to prosecution if he did not testify before the commission. Premhid said: “The evidence leaders must do what they deem appropriate.” Carrim, according to Premhid, would then do the same. ### **‘Appears patently false’** Commission chair Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga pointed out that if Carrim kept launching postponement applications based on his medical condition (as per his medical practitioner), it suggested he may never testify. “An educated guess would lead one to say \[…\] we can’t hold our breath.” Madlanga also pointed out that since March this year, Carrim was meant to have supplied information on the name or names of auditors of his companies and financial statements – to the commission. He had not done so. > MADLANGA COMMISSION | Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga raises concerns about businessman Suliman Carrim’s financial statements for his business, which have not been provided since being requested, among other issues. [pic.twitter.com/TZ4bY52qFH](https://t.co/TZ4bY52qFH) > > — SABC News (@SABCNews) [July 24, 2026](https://x.com/SABCNews/status/2080644652751884626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) During Friday’s proceedings, Madlanga said it appeared that an individual very close to Carrim, who was referred to as his “virtual assistant”, dealt with some of his banking issues. Madlanga ultimately said that the stance that “nobody can furnish” the information about Carrim’s companies that the commission wanted “appears to be patently false”. “How is it that this information resides only in Mr Carrim’s head?” Madlanga asked. Premhid responded to this, making it clear that he was not putting words in Carrim’s mouth, and saying in part: “Businesses operate how businesses operate.” Hassim, meanwhile, said the request for Carrim’s company auditor name or names was “very simple” and it made no sense as to why months had lapsed, and yet the commission still did not have an answer. ### **Crime suspect connections** Earlier this year, when Carrim initially failed to obtain a ruling that his testimony be heard in camera, he had been questioned about his ties to various individuals. He admitted to having dealings with organised crime accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who faces accusations that he colluded with corrupt police officers and is a member of a drug cartel known as the Big Five. [Read more Tenders, tycoons, and threats — Suleiman Carrim describes deals with ‘Cat’ Matlala, Morgan Maumela March 9, 2026 ![Image](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/zqSjqDcMw8SYfMLvkOfknGU4tIA=/450x0/smart/file/attachments/orphans/ED_594807_930044.jpg)](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-03-09-tenders-tycoons-and-threats-suleiman-cacarrims-day-of-reckoning-at-the-madlanga/) Carrim also knew ANC fixer and fellow North West businessman Brown Mogotsi, who is now facing charges for allegedly [faking his own attempted assassination](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-06-04-overwhelming-case-brown-mogotsi-denied-bail-in-alleged-staged-shooting-/). During previous commission proceedings, it emerged that Carrim, through money matters, was connected to Morgan Maumela, whose name has surfaced in [a Special Investigating Unit probe](https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/special-investigating-unit-releases-interim-report-tembisa-hospital) into R2-billion Tembisa Hospital looting. A whistleblower in this saga, Babita Deokaran, was previously murdered in a shooting. The Madlanga Commission proceedings, meanwhile, are expected to resume on Monday when embattled Investigating Directorate Against Corruption head Andrea Johnson is set to continue testifying. **DM**