Businessperson and ANC member Suleiman Carrim has launched an application to block the Madlanga commission from subpoenaing him to testify and answer to allegations he sought to influence police minister Senzo Mchunu in the controversial R360m South African Police Service (SAPS) tender.
The tender was awarded to attempted murder accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala in 2024 and his bank records reveal he paid R1.5m to Carrim on February 2025.
Witnesses before the commission, which is investigating allegations of criminal infiltration in the justice cluster, alleged Carrim influenced senior police officials and was a middleman between Mchunu and Matlala.
The witnesses alleged Carrim assisted Matlala when the SAPS failed to pay his invoices.
Carrim, in his court papers before the high court in Johannesburg, wants to interdict the commission from subpoenaing him to appear before it pending a review application in which he challenges the basis of being identified as an “implicated” person before the commission.
He accuses the commission of treating him unfairly by not notifying him before witnesses implicated him.
“I seek to review and set aside the decision of the commission to call me as a witness on the basis that I am an implicated person until such time as the commission complies with the principles of natural justice to protect the rights afforded to me in section 12 of the constitution,” his court papers read.
Carrim admits to receiving money from Matlala but argues it was because he invested R10m towards Matlala’s failed tender with the SAPS.
“No information has been presented to me by the commission that implicates me in the investigation the commission is conducting regarding Brown Mogotsi.
“I strongly deny any improper conduct. In fact, all Brown Mogotsi does confirm is that he injected funds into Medicare24 (which money I have lost as a result of Matlala’s improper conduct. To confirm, I was only repaid approximately R1.75m of the R10m advanced).”
Carrim has been linked directly to Mchunu.
When Matlala’s contract was about to be cancelled, Carrim sent the minister a message which read: “Good morning, minister. I just received a call from our guy, who’s a service provider for our health risk management project; he’s got very serious concerns. Apparently, you gave a directive to scrutinise his contract, and while they are at it, they must stall as much as they can to release purchase orders until you guys come up with something that can warrant the termination of the service.”
Mchunu admitted receiving the message.
Carrim argues that the cancellation of the tender shows he had no influence. “The major irony of all of this is that the contract was cancelled. I question what could I have possibly enabled in this regard.”
He denies being an “enabler” between Mchunu and Matlala.
“I strongly deny this. None of the evidence provided to me supports this allegation by Lt-Gen [Nhlanhla] Mkhwanazi.”
He contends the mention of his name at the commission does not fall within the terms of reference of the commission and that the commission has failed to provide him with evidence substantiating the allegations.
“The individuals whom the commission believes have allegedly implicated me — the alleged implication has nothing to do with the commission’s terms of reference.”
Carrim refuses to appear before the commission on procedural grounds, arguing the commission failed to notify him before he was implicated by witnesses and failed to explain in its notice requesting him to file a statement by November 6 2025 about the allegations made against him.
“I contend that the process followed by the commission regarding how it called on me to provide a written statement and give oral evidence, without complying with the prerequisite of the regulations and rules, infringed upon the principle of natural justice … and the decision is therefore liable to be set aside on review.”
He accuses the commission of treating him unfairly and seeking to “ambush” him in the witness box.
“The notice did not state why I must provide a statement regarding my relationship with the individuals listed or to what extent the required evidence falls within the scope of the commission.”
A secret witness alleged Carrim assisted Matlala with tender invoices submitted to the SAPS.
Based on Matlala’s phone records it is suggested Carrim was linked to businessperson Hangwani Morgan Maumela.
Maumela’s companies were flagged by slain state official Babita Deokaran for suspected tender corruption at Tembisa Hospital. Maumela’s family trust amassed more than R2.3bn in state tenders.
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