North West businessman Suliman Carrim told the Madlanga commission that he lost millions after funding businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s company, alleging that both Matlala and Brown Mogotsi misled him during the transaction.
Carrim said he provided R10 million in funding to Matlala’s healthcare company Medicare24, contracted to provide medical service to the South African Police Service, but received only R1.75 million in return. The R360 million tender contract was declared invalid in June 2025 due to procurement irregularities.
Carrim, who is director of security company Fusion Tactical Team told the commission that he met Matlala in June 2024 after Matlala requested funding for the healthcare contract, saying his company had overcapitalised on a tender contract with the Ekurhuleni municipality.
Carrim said he knew Matlala through the security industry and visited the company’s premises before agreeing to the investment. He told the commission that the facility appeared legitimate and well equipped.
Carrim said he also asked an acquaintance, North West businessman Brown Mogotsi, to confirm the validity of the tender contract, and that Mogotsi assured him the contract was legitimate.
Mogotsi has become a controversial figure at the commission with senior police officials accusing him of playing middleman between criminal cartels and suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu.
After several months of non-payment, Carrim said he received only R1.75 million before the Medicare24 contract was cancelled.
“Brown advised that in order to keep Vusi I should inform Vusi that I have a direct and good relationship with [Mchunu] and his office. I advised Brown that this was a joke because I had no relationship with the minister or his office,” he said.
Carrim said Mogotsi believed the claim would pressure Matlala to repay the money.
However, he later learned during the commission’s proceedings that Mogotsi and Matlala had been communicating closely.
“Brown was clear that this was required and calculated to make Vusi believe that my involvement and assistance with the minister or his office would be crucial and therefore he would need to pay me my money. In truth, I had and do not have any relationship with the minister,” he said.
Carrim said Mogotsi sent him correspondence involving Mchunu, which he then forwarded to Matlala in an effort to convince him that the tender issue would be resolved. By that stage, however, the contract’s cancellation had already been reported in the media.
“It is clear that both of them were playing me. I could not understand why Brown advised me to resend to Vusi, thereafter Vusi started to avoid me,” he said.
Carrim told the commission that the minister had no authority to cancel the contract, which he said fell under the authority of the national police commissioner.
“Much later I realised that Brown was misrepresenting his influence with the minister. I was quite upset about this as I have known Brown for the last 18 years from Mafikeng,” he said.
“In hindsight it is clear that Brown was playing me. I also suspect that he was not acting alone and that Vusi did so too. When one considers the messages it is clear I was caught in the middle of them,” he said.
Carrim said he was left R8.4 million out of pocket and never received the remaining payments or any return on his Medicare24 investment.
He told the commission that all messages showing interactions with Mchunu had been sent to him by Mogotsi, who advised him to forward them to Matlala.
“In fact when one considers the fact that [Mchunu] only assumed office on the 3rd of July 2024 and the SAPS contract was awarded before the erstwhile minister of police Bheki Cele,” he said.
“It is clear that it is impossible and as a fact untrue that I would have any persuasive influence over two ministers of police,” he said.
North West businessman Suliman Carrim told the Madlanga commission he lost R8.4 million after funding Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s healthcare company, alleging he was misled by both Matlala and Brown Mogotsi
