- Suliman Carrim appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on 19 October 2026, before his bail bid was postponed
- The State raised concerns that Carrim admitted he may skip his court appearance if his health does not improve
- South Africans weighed in on the latest postponement, sharing various reactions to Carrim's prolonged time behind bars
Source: Twitter
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
GAUTENG — Suliman Carrim's bail hearing has been postponed to Wednesday, 28 October 2026, with the businessman returning to Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre for at least another week.
Carrim appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Monday, 19 October, after his first appearance on Friday, 16 October 2026. Carrim was arrested on Thursday evening, 15 October 2026, at OR Tambo International Airport moments before he was due to board a flight to Dubai.
His arrest followed criminal charges laid against him in mid-August 2026 under the Commissions Act, after he failed to appear before the Madlanga Commission on multiple occasions in April, June, and July, citing medical reasons each time.
State addresses Carrim's health issues
During his brief appearance, the State raised a central concern that Carrim had himself acknowledged he might not attend future court appearances should his health fail to improve.
Prosecutors linked this admission to his repeated non-appearances before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The magistrate also noted that Carrim appeared to have tailored his evidence and indicated that time was required to review the transcripts before the bail matter could be properly considered.
How did South Africans react?
The bail postponement and Carrim's health admissions drew significant commentary on social media.
@m_philanathi wrote:
"So he was healthy enough to travel all the way to Dubai but not healthy enough to attend a court case."
@tokzin1809 suggested:
"Then he must be kept at Kgosi Mampuru. The State doctors will attend to him"
@maximamillion said:
"He must not be allowed to travel because his health will somehow deteriorate whilst in Pakistan and might not be able to travel back."
@flyngmisu observed:
"His trip to Dubai, returning on the 28th, turned into a trip to Kgosi Mampuru until the 28th. Comrade played himself here"
@BenjaminNwafor7 said:
"This thing is disrespecting South Africa's laws. Criminals are taking laws into their hands"
@Thokoza88288017 called on prosecutors to act:
"Next week the State must add more charges and escalate this to a Schedule 6 bail application."
Madlanga Commission welcomes Carrim's arrest
Briefly News reported that the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry released a statement following the arrest of Carrim.
The North West businessman was nabbed at OR Tambo International Airport before he boarded an international flight.
The Madlanga Commission said it hoped that the arrest served as a warning for other witnesses who sought to evade testifying.
Source: Briefly News
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