Stilfontein: North West police believe illegal mining kingpin ‘Tiger’ is not dead

North West police have dismissed reports that illegal mining kingpin James “Tiger” Tsoaeli, who escaped from custody in Stilfontein, has died.

Tsoaeli resurfaced from a shaft at the Buffelsfontein Gold Mine on 15 January during a government-sanctioned rescue mission to retrieve illegal miners, known as zama zamas.

However, he managed to evade capture, sparking a manhunt led by the South African Police Service (Saps).

Police on Stilfontein illegal mining kingpin’s escape

During a media briefing on the province’s crime statistics on Wednesday, acting North West police commissioner Patrick Asaneng provided an update on the investigation into Tsoaeli’s escape, stating that it was at an advanced stage.

“We are happy with the investigation and we believe that we will unravel what has happened,” he said.

Asaneng rejected claims that Tsoaeli was dead and reassured the public that the Lesotho national would soon be apprehended.

“What is critical in conducting an investigation is to ensure that we collect and collate evidence that can be presented before court.

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“So whoever is making these theories, which are not substantiated by evidence, we cannot be focusing on that,” the provincial police commissioner said.

“In our investigations, we don’t chase after ghosts,” he added.

Meanwhile, four police officers accused of aiding Tsoaeli’s escape appeared in the Stilfontein Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

The officers — Warrant Officer Jack Motlhabya, Warrant Officer Menzi Shabalala, Sergeant Ntuthuko Dladla, and Sergeant Samkelo Mbotho — face charges of defeating the ends of justice and aiding and abetting a detainee’s escape.

They were arrested on 31 January and granted R1 000 bail each on the same day.

Their case has been postponed to 29 May for further investigations.

Watch the briefing below:

Stilfontein mine shaft rehabilitation

Asaneng also revealed that one of the shafts at Buffelsfontein Gold Mine would be rehabilitated, with heavy machinery such as bulldozers already clearing the site.

“We have since engaged the Department of Minerals, Energy and Petroleum regarding what has happened here, and they have indicated to us that very soon they will be commencing with the rehabilitation process around this area,” he told the media.

The commissioner further reported that of the 93 bodies of zama zamas retrieved from the mine, only eight had been identified.

The identified individuals were foreign nationals — three from Mozambique, three from Lesotho, and two from Zimbabwe.

READ MORE: Illegal mining: Government accused of double standards after billionaire’s mine ‘implicated’

Moreover, DNA samples have been collected from 84 bodies.

“Seventy-one of those DNA profiles have been derived from the 84, and there are two bodies from which DNA samples could not be taken.

“We are still calling upon the next of kin and families to come forward. We have done an elaborate process of taking fingerprints.”

Asaneng reaffirmed that Operation Vala Umgodi would continue in Stilfontein and other provinces affected by illegal mining.

“It is not only continuing in the North West, but all the provinces where illegal mining is a problem.”

Authorities intensify crackdown on illegal mining

North West Community Safety and Transport Management MEC Wessels Morweng also emphasised that authorities would intensify operations against illegal mining.

“As had been emphasised before, illegal mining is costing the economy of the country well over R70 billion annually in gold mining alone.

“Added to this, illegal mining has other causal ramifications, with sinkholes the common immediate detriment.

READ MORE: Saftu wants zama zama industry regulated

“We are grateful for the successful operation in Stilfontein where, though the problem is not completely over, it had been significantly stemmed,” he said.

Morweng noted that police had recently arrested 22 illegal mining suspects in the Bojanala district, highlighting a shift in the nationalities of those apprehended.

“Of those arrested previously, nationalities varied from Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Malawi. Now added to those nationalities, we have some from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, and Pakistan,” he added.

See the pictures below: