By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Musina Magistrate’s Court has postponed the controversial businessman Suliman Carrim’s case to 16 November 2026, as he continues his bid for bail.
The former African National Congress (ANC) North West regional secretary appeared in court for a bail application.
Carrim and his two co-accused face charges of fraud, attempted theft of motor vehicles & uttering. The two financed vehicles were intercepted at the Beitbridge border post bound for Malawi.
The state alleges that fraudulent bank letters were used to facilitate the movement of the vehicles across the border without Absa’s authorisation.
Carrim denied any role of knowing, aiding or authorising the use or transportation of the vehicles.
During the bail hearing, His lawyer Hendrick Potgieter said ABSA had approved a trip to Malawi and later released the vehicles to Ziggy Investments CC.
Potgieter claimed the state stopped accepting guilty pleas from the co-accused once Carrim joined the case.
The court also heard that the police took Carrim’s phone when they arrested him at OR Tambo International Airport on 15 October 2026.
The investigating officer later downloaded WhatsApp messages from it, according to the defence, which said it had never received copies.
Carrim denied agreeing to the download.
“I did not consent to the downloading of my phone. No search warrant authorising that download has been shown to me,” Carrim stated.
He also said he would challenge the evidence. “I reserve my right to challenge how the information was obtained and presented,” he said. The state was expected to hand over the messages.
The state’s case rested largely on him being a flight risk. Investigating officer Captain Jimmy Kubayi, of the Commission Recommendations Task Team, said Carrim failed to disclose eight properties and was paying off a R30 million bond that far exceeded his declared monthly income.
Kubayi also pointed to Carrim’s UAE residency.
“The applicant has residency in the UAE, which offers the right to reside there, a country which has shown some unwillingness to extradite suspects to the Republic of South Africa,” Kubayi argued.
Kubayi also referred to his previous failure to appear before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, arguing that this raised questions about his willingness to comply with legal processes.
Carrim remains in custody pending the outcome of his bail application.
The latest proceedings come after Carrim was granted R100 000 bail by the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on 28 October in a separate matter relating to his failure to appear before the Commission.
Addressing the contempt allegations, Potgieter, told the court that Carrim had not deliberately failed to appear before the commission. He maintained that his client had communicated that he was in hospital and had submitted medical records to support his absence.
According to Potgieter, Carrim’s legal representatives remained in contact with the commission and attended proceedings on his behalf.
Potgieter also argued that Carrim was not a flight risk, pointing out that his residential address in North West was known to the court and that his travel documents had been confiscated.