Carrim accused of hiding over R2 million of payments made to Matlala's company

The Madlanga Commission has accused controversial North West businessman Suleiman Carrim of hiding more than R2 million of payments he made to a company linked to alleged tender fraudster Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala.

Carrim testified on Monday that in June 2024, he loaned Matlala’s Medicare24 company R10 million to service a tender it recently scored from the South African Police Service (SAPS).

However, on Tuesday, evidence leaders revealed there was an additional R2.1 million made by one of Carrim’s companies to Medicare24 that he didn’t disclose to the commission.

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In his testimony on Monday, Carrim said he loaned Medicare24 R10 million. The money was paid from his two companies, Ziggy and Tameez.

On Tuesday, the commission’s evidence leaders revealed that between June and October 2024, another one of Carrim’s companies, Tasmica Construction, also paid Medicare24 the additional R2.1 million in two separate transactions.

Carrim was accused of withholding information from the commission,however, his lawyer, Rafik Bhana, disagreed.

“It’s unfair for you [talking to Sesi Baloyi, co-commissioner] to make the judgment now that he chose to hold back documents when his intention wasn’t directed to that. These are transactions that go back several years.

“This is a witness that deals with companies that have many transactions, so the premise to say he had a duty - even though there’s no mention of Tasmeeka there [in Carrim’s subpoena notice which lists the allegations against him he needs to answer for at the Commission] - to deal with Tasmeeka and the fact that he doesn’t, that you can put to me that he chose to hold this back is simply incorrect.”

The commission has resolved not to ask Carrim about these new revelations until he has been briefed by his lawyers.