North West police have launched a manhunt for suspected Stilfontein illegal mining kingpin, James Neo Tshoaeli.Tshoaeli, who’s a Lesotho national, was among a group of 246 who resurfaced at shaft 11 in Stilfontein, near Klerksdorp, last week. According to police records, Tshoaeli was never booked into various other stations where some illegal miners are being kept nor admitted at a local hospital for further medical care. “The Acting Provincial Commissioner of North West, Major General Patrick Asaneng has ordered maximum resources to be mobilised in finding an alleged kingpin who resurfaced from shaft 11 in Stilfontein last week. Major General Asaneng has also warned that heads will roll once they find those officials that aided the kingpin to escape from police custody after resurfacing from shaft 11 last week. Extensive investigations and tracing operations are underway to find those officials who aided his escape between shaft 11 and the Stilfontein police holding cells,” said police spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe. Moreover, Mathe said Asaneng has expressed disappointment in what he termed as an “embarrassment to the Vala Umgodi operation that has been running from December 2023.”He has also vowed to ensure that those responsible for the escape from custody are brought to book and that he is apprehended. Mathe said Tiger was fingered in several statements by illegal miners, as one of the ring leaders who controlled operations underground. “He is also being accused by some illegal miners who resurfaced underground as him being allegedly responsible for some deaths, assault and torture that is alleged to have taken place according to videos in police possession. He is also alleged to have hoarded and kept food away from other illegal miners,” explained Mathe. She warned that Tiger is a fugitive of justice, considered dangerous, and requested members of the public to share any information pertaining to his whereabouts to the Stilfontein police station.
