The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry is set to rule on whether ANC member and North West businessman Suliman Carrim will testify in camera due to threats he has received.
Carrim has been slammed at the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry for seeking to have his evidence heard in camera on Monday and Tuesday.
Commissioner’s Concerns
Commissioner Advocate Sesi Baloyi SC accused Carrim of seeking to portray the commission as being treated unfairly. “If your client has facts, he must list them and let a reasonable person judge,” she told Carrim’s advocate Kameel Premhid.
According to Baloyi, this was the first time that the commission got a complaint that this is a fishing expedition. “I’m really expressing displeasure with the conduct of Carrim because it is not substantiated by anything that he has placed before us,” she stated.
Threats and Intimidation
Premhid said his client was not asking for privilege but for something that the rules of the commission’s own rules provide for. He said Carrim received threats including one that read: “before you appear at the commission we will show you and your ice boy”.
Another threatening message read: “Go to Madlanga, we will stay behind and take care of your stuff”.
Earlier this month, Carrim lost his bid to avoid giving evidence before the commission on February 6 when Gauteng High Court, Pretoria Judge Denise Fisher struck the matter off the roll with costs.
Carrim sought to interdict his scheduled appearance before the commission, which was initially set for Friday, February 6.
In her judgment, Judge Fisher found that Carrim’s provision of the evidence has been resisted by him through his attorney, Sikander Tayob Attorneys.
For more information on the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, visit the Judiciary of South Africa website.
Here are some key points to note about the case:
- Carrim is an ANC member and North West businessman
- He sought to have his evidence heard in camera due to threats
- The commission is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseni Madlanga
- Carrim lost his bid to avoid giving evidence before the commission
The commission will rule on Monday on whether Carrim will testify in camera.</p)
