South African authorities revealed Monday that a prominent figure allegedly responsible for illegal gold mining and linked to multiple underground deaths managed to flee police custody with help from local officers. Identified as Lesotho national James “Tiger” Neo Tshoaeli, the suspect initially surfaced last week from the disused Stilfontein gold mine, where an extensive operation rescued 246 illegal miners and retrieved 78 bodies.
According to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, Tshoaeli was apparently never properly processed at any police station, despite evidence implicating him in crimes such as torture, assault, and withholding food from other miners. Eyewitness accounts and video footage reportedly substantiate allegations that Tshoaeli, known by his alias “Tiger,” asserted his control underground, contributing to deaths in the shaft. Investigators are now working to identify officers who may have aided his escape between the mine site and the Stilfontein holding cells.
Police note that since August, nearly 2,000 illegal miners have emerged from the abandoned mine, with 87 bodies removed in total. Survivors have recounted dire conditions, including starvation and sickness, after law enforcement surrounded the site to sever supplies as part of a crackdown on illicit mining.
While rescue workers concluded their search efforts last week, some local groups suspect that additional bodies might remain in a different shaft. Authorities maintain that remote-operated cameras and motion detectors did not detect more survivors or remains, though concerns persist among community members who believe the full scope of this tragedy has yet to be uncovered.