ANC branch members have begun nominating embattled businessman Suliman Carrim for another term as regional treasurer in the North West capital, Mafikeng, even as his alleged links to underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala place him firmly in the sights of the Madlanga commission.
Carrim’s candidacy for a continued leadership role unfolded as he lost his court bid this week, contesting a subpoena from the commission, which probes allegations of influence-peddling linked to police procurement.
The developments have turned an internal ANC power battle in Mafikeng’s Ngaka Modiri Molema region into a multi-layered contest that now links a regional leadership battle to a national inquiry into the relationship between police and crime syndicates – and, increasingly, to the ANC’s early manoeuvring around the 2027 succession race.
Carrim, based in Mafikeng, approached the Pretoria High Court seeking an urgent interim interdict to block the commission from compelling him to testify.
He argued that he has been unfairly labelled an “implicated person” without being afforded procedural fairness.
Multiple ANC insiders in the province said this week that Carrim’s legal issues have overlapped with his political ambitions and could “fundamentally alter the political terrain”.
They point to the number of disputes in most of the branches that gave him the nod and suggest “a possible rerun of the votes”. “The legal battle has become part of the leadership contest, whether people want to admit it or not,” said one senior ANC lobbyist.
Internal ANC figures indicate that the Ngaka Modiri Molema region has 103 branches, with 72 in good standing. Candidates require the support of at least 25% of those branches to qualify for nomination. Several sources estimate that Carrim commands 35% branch support, giving him an early numerical edge.
However, his re-election bid is being aggressively challenged by Eric Landsman, who previously served as ANC regional treasurer in Ngaka Modiri Molema, as a regional executive committee member and as a councillor in the district municipality.
In Parliament, he has served on several oversight structures, including the select committee on land reform, environment, mineral resources and energy.
According to ANC insiders, the rivalry between Carrim and Landsman dates back to when Landsman vacated the regional treasurer position in favour of Carrim as part of an internal leadership accommodation intended to stabilise the region.
“That deal collapsed,” said a regional activist.
“From that point, the relationship broke down completely.”
The Carrim–Landsman standoff has fractured branch loyalties and opened space for a third contender, Tefo Maloisane, a decorated business executive and entrepreneur with deep roots in the mining, energy and logistics sectors.
ANC insiders say Maloisane’s profile – particularly his business acumen – has resonated with branches seeking a candidate able to navigate complex relationships between government, industry and communities.
In political terms, sources say Maloisane has also inherited the support of ANC branches that previously backed Thato Magogodi in his aborted bid for provincial secretary in 2022.
“A lot of those branches never really moved on,” said one source familiar with provincial dynamics. “Maloisane is giving them a new vehicle.”
Despite a late campaign start, Maloisane is estimated to have secured around 20% of branch support, roughly on par with Landsman,
Further complicating the contest is Boitumelo Montwedi, a candidate associated with the N12 grouping. Multiple ANC sources say the N12 bloc is politically linked to Nono Maloyi, the provincial ANC chairperson.
Maloyi is widely regarded within ANC circles as the public face of Paul Mashatile’s emerging campaign for the ANC presidency ahead of the party’s 2027 national conference.
Insiders say this connection has elevated the strategic importance of the N12 grouping far beyond Ngaka Modiri Molema.
The nominated candidates including the ANC could not be reached for comment.
