South Africa’s Hunt for ‘Tiger’ – Alleged Illegal Mining Kingpin

The South African police have been searching for James Neo Tshoaeli, also known as “Tiger,” a 42-year-old man from Lesotho who allegedly controlled illegal operations at an abandoned gold mine near Stilfontein. The mine was the site of a tragic incident in January, where 78 corpses were discovered underground. Tiger escaped custody after being detained in connection with the incident, and four policemen accused of aiding his breakout are currently out on bail awaiting trial.

Tiger’s mother, Mampho Tshoaeli, recalls her son as a friendly and peaceful child who wanted to be a policeman. However, after their father passed away, Tiger had to become the head of the family and decided to work in a mine in South Africa. “He was a friendly child to everyone… He was peaceful even at school, his teachers never complained about him. So generally, he was a good person,” she says. Tiger’s mother lost touch with him eight years ago and is worried about his well-being.

The police say several illegal miners described Tiger as one of the Stilfontein ring leaders. However, his mother does not believe he could have been in this position. “It really hurts me a lot because I think maybe he will die there, or maybe he has died already, or if he’s lucky to come back home, maybe I won’t be here. I’ll be among the dead,” she says.

A friend of Tiger’s from Stilfontein, who only wants to be identified as Ayanda, casts doubt on the “ringleader” label, saying that Tiger was more like a supervisor. “He was a boss underground, but he’s not a top boss. He was like a supervisor, someone who could manage the situation where we were working,” Ayanda says.

Mining researcher Makhotla Sefuli believes that those in charge of the illegal mining syndicate never work underground. “The illegal mining trade is like a pyramid with many tiers… At the top are some very powerful people, with close proximity to top politicians,” he says.

The incident at the Stilfontein mine has highlighted the risks and challenges faced by illegal miners. Supang Khoaisanyane, a 39-year-old miner from Lesotho, was among those who lost their lives in the mine. His family says they did not realize he was working as a zama zama until a relative called them to say he had died underground. “He left the village because he was struggling… He was trying to find money in Stilfontein, to feed his family, and to put some roofing on his house,” his aunt Mabolokang Khoaisanyane says.

The South African police’s strategy to crack down on illegal mining has been criticized. The police restricted the flow of food and water into the mine, which many believe contributed to the deaths of the miners. Supang’s family disagrees with how the authorities dealt with the situation. “They tortured these people with hunger, not allowing food and medication to be sent down. It makes us really sad that he was down there without food for that long. We believe this is what ended his life,” his aunt says.