The Madlanga Commission has postponed the hearing of Suliman Carrim’s application for a postponement to next Friday after legal representatives argued that there was insufficient time to respond to the late filing.
Carrim’s legal representative, Adv Kameel Premhid was expected to bring an application for a postponement.
Missed deadline
However, on Friday Adv Matthew Chaskalson told the commission that the deadlines for Carrim’s application had not been met, saying the commission’s legal team only received the application from Carrim’s attorneys at 03:30 on Friday morning.
The application was expected to outline the dates on which Carrim was admitted to hospital over the past four months, the dates of his medical consultations, his travel movements and whether he attended any social engagements during that period.
Chaskalson submitted that, given the delayed filing, the matter could not be properly addressed this week. He proposed that the application be heard next Friday to allow all parties adequate time to prepare.
“I had a communication with Mr Carrim’s legal team last night and they informed me that they were struggling with filing. I don’t want this to reflect as criticism of them. It is not,” he clarified.
Chaskalson said the ruling deals with two separate issues.
“One is the postponement application itself, the second is the in camera application. The postponement application will be heard at 11:30 on Friday, 24 July. Today, the commission will furnish Mr Carrim with a list of non medical, factual issues on which it presently reserves the right to take issue with the allegations contained in Mr Carrim’s founding affidavit. Together with a list of non medical factual issues, the commission will furnish Mr Carrim with cellphone, geolocation, and core record data, and any other investigative material currently in its possession, on which it may rely in relation to the non medical factual issues.”
All of the papers in the postponement application will be in by 8pm on Thursday, and will be argued at 11.30am on Friday.
In camera application
“In parallel, there is the process in relation to the in camera application, which is dealt with in paragraph two. The application of Mr Carrim for the postponement application to be heard in camera, will be decided by written ruling of the chairperson, handed down before 6pm on Thursday.”
According to Chaskalson, Carrim seeks in camera testimony, because he alleges that it is not possible for the postponement application, sensibly to be heard, in a manner that would separate information, the disclosure which would implicate his fundamental rights to privacy and dignity, from any other information to be canvased in the application.
“Mr Carrim alleges that the information implicating his fundamental rights to privacy and dignity is private information relating to his medical condition and his medical treatment. Private information about Mr Carrim’s family movements and the security threats he and his family have faced. Mr Carrim submits that public disclosure of this information would risk serious harm to his treatment, dignity, standing within his religious community and public lives.”
The commission accepted the proposal and postponed the hearing to next Friday at 11.30am.
All parties have been directed to file the necessary court papers by 8pm on Thursday ahead of the hearing.
The commission is also expected to announce on Thursday afternoon whether Carrim’s postponement application will be heard in camera, meaning behind closed doors.
Carrim has been implicated in a multi-million-rand tender that the South African Police Service (SAPS) had awarded alleged criminal kingpin Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala’s company Medicare24.
He has not returned to the commission after apparently suffering a heart attack, is also accused of feigning illness to avoid testifying.
Earlier in the week, Chaskalson told the commission that Carrim was allegedly spotted at a Western Cape shopping centre where he was reportedly having lunch and moving around with an entourage.
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- The Madlanga Commission postponed Suliman Carrim’s postponement application hearing to next Friday due to late filing and insufficient time for response.
- Carrim’s legal team missed the deadline, submitting the application at 03:30 AM Friday, which was meant to detail his medical history, travel, and social engagements over four months.
- The commission will provide Carrim with a list of factual issues, cellphone, geolocation, and other investigative data related to his case before the hearing.
- Carrim requested the postponement hearing be held in camera to protect sensitive private medical, family, and security-related information affecting his privacy and dignity; this request will be ruled on before Thursday 6 PM.
- Carrim is implicated in a multi-million-rand SAPS tender scandal involving alleged criminal kingpin Vusimuzi Matlala’s company and has been accused of feigning illness to avoid testifying.
