What began as an isolated postponement has developed into a pattern that has increasingly frustrated the commission, prompting chairperson, retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, to question the quality of medical certificates being submitted openly and, at one stage, raising the possibility of compelling doctors to explain the sick notes they issue.
The commission has had to postpone hearings, rearrange schedules and in some instances consider stronger legal action against witnesses who were due to testify, and at the last minute indicated health problems that prevented them from doing so.
Here is a list of witnesses who have reported sick to the commission:
Dumisani Khumalo
One of the earliest disruptions involved crime intelligence boss Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, who informed the commission that he was too ill to testify on his scheduled date. While the illness itself was not publicly disputed, the incident marked the beginning of what would become a recurring challenge for the inquiry. His testimony was postponed, with the commission rescheduling proceedings. Khumalo concluded his testimony, with the commission extending the sitting so that he could finish before appearing in the Pretoria Regional Court on separate fraud and corruption charges the following day.
Shadrack Sibiya
In Dember 2025, suspended deputy police chief Shadrack Sibiya called in sick, postponing his appearance to early 2026. This came after he was served with a subpoena to appear before the commission. The sitting was postponed. He had been accused by a few witnesses of having a hand in the disbandment of the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), and was under scrutiny about his alleged links to alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. Sibiya later took to the hot seat in February 2026.
Witness F
Another major interruption came when the commission’s highly anticipated Witness F was admitted to the hospital shortly before giving evidence. Because of the seriousness of the reported medical condition, proceedings involving the witness had to be postponed. Justice Madlanga expressed concern over the growing number of delays caused by ill health, highlighting that while genuine medical emergencies must be respected, repeated postponements were beginning to affect the commission’s work. The witness’s evidence was delayed pending recovery.
Crime Intelligence Officer
The commission later experienced another setback when a senior Crime Intelligence officer responsible for handling agents and informants failed to appear, citing illness. Unlike earlier cases, this absence triggered sharp criticism from the commission’s legal team. Evidence leaders questioned the adequacy of the medical certificate submitted on the witness’s behalf, arguing that it failed to provide sufficient information to justify non-attendance.
Justice Madlanga indicated that the commission could not accept vague medical certificates at face value where witnesses had been lawfully summoned to testify. The witness’s appearance was postponed while the commission sought greater clarity regarding the medical evidence.
Brown Mogotsi
Businessman Brown Mogotsi’s failure to appear represented one of the commission’s most contentious encounters over illness. Mogotsi’s legal representatives submitted a medical certificate indicating that he was unfit to testify. Madlanga, however, was highly critical of the document, describing it as ‘useless’ because it failed to provide enough information to establish why Mogotsi could not appear before the commission.
The criticism marked one of the strongest public rebukes directed at a witness’s medical justification. The commission warned that medical certificates must provide meaningful information if they are to excuse a witness from complying with a summons. Mogotsi eventually returned to the commission after unsuccessful legal attempts to halt the proceedings. He completed his testimony in May 2026. He was later arrested over allegations that he staged his own assassination attempt in Vosloorus in November 2025.
Suliman Carrim
North West businessman Suliman Carrim has experienced repeated delays to his testimony because of ill health. After initially testifying earlier this year, he was due to continue his evidence in April 2026 when he was hospitalised after collapsing at a gym following a suspected heart attack. His appearance was postponed again in June, with his legal team submitting further medical reports declaring him unfit to testify. The repeated postponements prompted the commission to question the ongoing medical claims and seek an independent medical examination by its own specialist, warning that Carrim could face prosecution if he failed to testify without adequate justification. His testimony remains incomplete and has been postponed pending his recovery and compliance with the commission’s medical requirements.
Mike van Wyk
Medicare24 CEO Mike van Wyk was scheduled to testify before the Madlanga Commission on June 22, 2026 regarding his company’s R360 million South African Police Service (SAPS) tender and his alleged links to Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. However, he was unable to appear after being hospitalised. The commission accepted medical reports indicating that he was unwell and postponed his testimony. Rather than delay proceedings entirely, chief evidence leader, Advocate Matthew Chaskalson proceeded by presenting the documentary evidence against van Wyk, giving him an opportunity to respond later through a supplementary affidavit and future testimony. His testimony has been postponed and remains outstanding.
Feroz Khan
Suspended Crime Intelligence deputy head Major-General Feroz Khan was due to begin testifying on July 1, 2026, over allegations of interference in police investigations, procurement irregularities and alleged links to businessman Mohamed ‘Mo’ Sayed.
Just days before his scheduled appearance, Khan was shot and seriously injured in an apparent assassination attempt in Johannesburg. He underwent emergency surgery and remained hospitalised, preventing him from appearing before the commission. With Khan unable to testify, the commission proceeded to lead documentary and WhatsApp evidence against him in his absence while emphasising that the allegations remain untested and that he is presumed innocent. Khan has not yet testified and remains unable to appear because of his medical condition.
Andrea Johnson
Most recently, Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) head, Andrea Johnson failed to appear after reportedly being rushed to hospital shortly before her scheduled testimony on Monday. Although the commission accepted that she had been hospitalised, Justice Madlanga again expressed dissatisfaction with the medical certificate that accompanied her absence.
“I notice that this is one of those useless so-called medical certificates,” said Madlanga.
The chairperson said the certificate did not adequately explain her medical condition or inability to testify, continuing the commission’s increasingly firm stance on the quality of medical documentation submitted by witnesses. Her evidence has been postponed pending her recovery and a satisfactory medical explanation.
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- What began as an isolated postponement has developed into a pattern that has increasingly frustrated the commission, prompting chairperson, retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, to question the quality of medical certificates being submitted openly and, at one stage, raising the possibility of compelling doctors to explain the sick notes they issue.
- The commission has had to postpone hearings, rearrange schedules and in some instances consider stronger legal action against witnesses who were due to testify, and at the last minute indicated health problems that prevented them from doing so.
- Here is a list of witnesses who have reported sick to the commission: Dumisani Khumalo One of the earliest disruptions involved crime intelligence boss Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, who informed the commission that he was too ill to testify on his scheduled date.
- While the illness itself was not publicly disputed, the incident marked the beginning of what would become a recurring challenge for the inquiry.
- His testimony was postponed, with the commission rescheduling proceedings.
