Seen Here: North West businessman and ANC member Suliman Carrim remains in custody following his 15 October arrest over alleged non-compliance with the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. His bail judgment has been postponed to 28 October 2026, as questions surrounding his failure to appear before the commission continue to unfold. Carrim has not been convicted in this matter and remains entitled to the presumption of innocence. Photo Credit: Supplied
The businessman and former ANC regional treasurer was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on 15 October after allegedly failing to comply with the Madlanga Commission’s requirements. His bail judgment has been postponed to 28 October as scrutiny of his business and political connections continues.
PRETORIA, 19 October 2026 — North West businessman and African National Congress (ANC) member Suliman Carrim will remain in custody until 28 October, following the postponement of the judgment in his bail application at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Carrim was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on the evening of Thursday, 15 October, shortly before he was due to board an international flight. His arrest followed criminal charges arising from his alleged failure to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, despite being directed to do so.
The latest development has brought renewed attention to Carrim’s business interests, political associations and testimony concerning financial transactions examined by the commission. However, the charge relating to his alleged non-compliance with the commission must be distinguished from separate allegations and investigations involving his business dealings.
Arrest at OR Tambo International Airport
Carrim’s arrest followed a series of missed appearances before the Madlanga Commission, which is investigating alleged criminal infiltration, corruption and improper influence within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
According to reporting by the Mail & Guardian, Carrim had missed four scheduled appearances, citing medical reasons for his absences. Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga subsequently directed him to appear in person on 14 August 2026.
After Carrim failed to appear on that date and did not provide information and documentation required by the commission, criminal charges were laid against him.
The commission’s Recommendations Task Team arrested him at the airport on 15 October, shortly before he was due to board an international flight. Police also confirmed that he had been flagged in a separate investigation concerning alleged fraud and corruption linked to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality in North West. Those allegations remain under investigation.
Carrim appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court on 16 October, charged with contravening the Commissions Act in connection with his alleged failure to comply with the inquiry’s requirements.
During the proceedings, the State opposed his release on bail, arguing that he posed a flight risk. Prosecutors raised concerns about his planned international travel and the verification of his residential addresses.
Carrim’s legal team disputed the State’s position. He told the court that the trip was for religious purposes and maintained that he intended to return to South Africa. His lawyers also presented a return ticket as part of their argument against the allegation that he intended to evade the legal process.
The bail proceedings were postponed, and Carrim remained in custody at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Centre in Pretoria.
On Monday, 19 October, the court postponed the bail judgment to Wednesday, 28 October. Carrim will remain in custody pending that decision. The postponement is procedural and does not constitute a finding of guilt.
Business roots in Mahikeng
Carrim’s public profile is closely associated with Mahikeng and the wider North West business community. Published profiles describe his family as having longstanding commercial interests in the area, including a general dealer known as Check Out.
His business activities have included security and transport contracts, while his connections to municipal procurement have attracted public attention.
A Sunday Times profile published in August 2026 described Carrim as a polarising figure in Mahikeng. Some community members portrayed him as a benefactor who had supported local initiatives, while others questioned the relationship between his commercial interests, political connections and public-sector contracts.
These differing perspectives reflect his contested public reputation but do not, in themselves, establish wrongdoing.
Carrim’s business history is relevant to the broader questions surrounding public procurement, the awarding of government contracts and the safeguards required to ensure that public resources are administered transparently.
Political involvement and ANC structures
Carrim is a longstanding ANC member who has held positions within the party’s regional structures.
In 2022, he was elected unopposed as treasurer of the ANC’s Ngaka Modiri Molema regional structure. In February 2026, the ANC in North West confirmed his membership and described him as a longstanding activist serving on the region’s task team.
His political associations have attracted attention as the Madlanga Commission examines allegations of improper influence and relationships between individuals in business, politics and law enforcement.
Nevertheless, membership of a political organisation or association with public figures does not establish criminal liability. Any allegations involving Carrim must be assessed against the available evidence and the outcomes of the relevant legal proceedings.
The Medicare24 contract and financial transactions
Carrim has also featured in evidence before the Madlanga Commission concerning financial transactions and business relationships connected to the controversial South African Police Service health-services contract awarded to Medicare24, a company associated with businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
The contract, worth approximately R360 million, has come under scrutiny as the commission investigates allegations of corruption and improper influence within the criminal justice system.
During his testimony in March 2026, Carrim described providing financial support to Medicare24, which he characterised as a loan of approximately R10 million. Questions were raised during the proceedings about the transactions and the relationships between people and entities involved.
Carrim presented the financial dealings as legitimate business arrangements and denied wrongdoing.
The commission’s examination of these matters does not, by itself, amount to a criminal conviction. The evidence must be assessed through the relevant investigative and legal processes, and the allegations should not be conflated with the separate charge on which he was arrested.
Separate municipal fraud and corruption investigation
Police have confirmed that Carrim was flagged by the SAPS cold case unit in connection with allegations of fraud and corruption relating to the Ngaka Modiri Molema District Municipality.
These allegations were mentioned in connection with the circumstances surrounding his arrest. However, they are separate from the charge relating to his alleged failure to appear before the Madlanga Commission.
As reported by the Mail & Guardian and other news organisations, the municipal matters remain under investigation. They should therefore be reported as allegations, not established facts.
A case with wider implications for accountability
Carrim’s arrest has placed renewed focus on the authority of commissions of inquiry and the obligations of individuals who are subpoenaed to provide testimony or documentation.
The Madlanga Commission’s work centres on serious questions about alleged criminal infiltration, political interference and corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice institutions. Its ability to obtain evidence and examine relevant witnesses is central to its mandate.
At the same time, the proceedings involving Carrim highlight the importance of due process. The State’s allegations, the defence’s responses and the court’s decisions must be considered separately from the broader claims being examined by the commission.
The immediate legal question is whether Carrim should be granted bail while the charge relating to his alleged non-compliance with the commission proceeds. The court is expected to deliver its bail judgment on 28 October 2026.
The broader questions concerning his business transactions, political associations and any alleged misconduct remain matters for the relevant investigative and legal processes.
As of 19 October 2026, Carrim remains in custody, and no finding of guilt has been established in the proceedings described above. His case continues to draw attention to the relationship between public procurement, political networks and accountability in South Africa, while the presumption of innocence remains applicable.
#SulimanCarrim #MadlangaCommission #SouthAfrica #Accountability
