The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa) is calling foul on police claims that Neo “Tiger” Tshoaeli is a kingpin in the illegal mining world. According to the union, painting Tshoaeli as the mastermind behind a multimillion-rand illicit mining empire is not just misleading—it’s a cover-up.
Tshoaeli’s story is as dramatic as it is puzzling. On January 15, he emerged from an underground shaft at Buffelsfontein Gold Mine near Stilfontein during a government-led rescue mission aimed at retrieving trapped illegal miners. The mission was a grim success—78 bodies were recovered, and 246 miners were rescued. But just as authorities thought they had the situation under control, Tshoaeli escaped from custody, igniting a two-week manhunt that has left more questions than answers.
Adding to the intrigue, four police officers have been arrested in connection with Tshoaeli’s escape. They have already appeared before the Stilfontein Magistrate Court and were granted bail, casting further suspicion on the integrity of the law enforcement agencies involved.
Giwusa president Mametlwe Sebei vehemently disputes the police narrative. “It is absurd and indicative of a cover-up for the police to suggest that someone in Tshoaeli’s condition could be the mastermind behind a multimillion-rand industry involving thousands of miners in Stilfontein,” Sebei argued. He painted a different picture of Tshoaeli—not as a powerful kingpin but as a mere henchman, a pawn in a much larger, more insidious game.
Sebei suggests that labeling Tshoaeli as a kingpin serves to divert attention from deeper issues—namely, police complicity in the deaths of hundreds of illegal miners. “Tshoaeli is a red herring, conveniently used by the police to deflect from their own involvement in this tragic saga,” he said.
North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone deflected inquiries to a statement from national spokesperson Athlenda Mathe. The statement maintained that Tshoaeli is an alleged underground kingpin and dismissed claims that he might be dead. “So far, four of our own have been arrested and investigations continue. Let’s not jump to conclusions and speculate. Our focus now is where is Tiger? Wherever he was taken to, he must be found,” Mathe stated.
Sebei, however, insists that the real power brokers in illegal mining are far removed from the grime and danger of underground shafts. “The true kingpins live in suburban mansions, drive luxury cars, and operate from air-conditioned offices. They control the illicit mineral trade through networks of middlemen, corrupt police officers, politicians, private security firms, and even licensed mining corporations,” he explained.
Supporting Sebei’s claims, a study by the Bench Marks Foundation—a religious non-profit that monitors corporate behavior in South Africa—revealed that legitimate mining companies are complicit in this dark trade, purchasing gold from illegal miners. The report also exposed how illegal miners funnel gold to scrap metal dealers, syndicates, security companies, and corrupt police officers. These syndicates are even believed to bankroll political campaigns, highlighting just how deeply rooted this corruption runs.
Sebei believes that Tshoaeli’s escape is a glaring sign of police involvement in these operations. “While we reject the mischaracterization of Tshoaeli as a kingpin, we demand his arrest and accountability for any abuse and violence against miners. The arrest of the four police officers should illuminate the broader organized crime syndicates responsible for exploiting minerals and terrorizing mining communities,” Sebei asserted.
However, Giwusa is not stopping there. The union demands the arrest of the true kingpins—those operating within police ranks, political circles, and licensed mining corporations. But Sebei warns that the criminal justice system alone won’t be enough to dismantle these deeply entrenched syndicates. “This is not merely a criminal issue but a socio-economic one, rooted in the devastating poverty faced by the black working class in distressed mining towns affected by mine closures,” he concluded.
