MANYANE MANYANE
The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (Giwusa) has suggested that there is a cover-up in police suggesting that Neo “Tiger” Tshoaeli is an illegal mining kingpin.
The union said this label implies a level of power and control akin to that of a corporate CEO, which is entirely inconsistent with the wretched conditions in which he was found underground.
It said Tshoaeli could be considered a henchman, not a kingpin.
Tshoeli resurfaced from a shaft at Buffelsfontein Gold Mine near Stilfontein on January 15, during a government-sanctioned rescue mission to retrieve illegal miners.
Authorities successfully recovered 78 bodies and rescued 246 illegal miners, but Tshoaeli then escaped from custody, sparking a manhunt led by police - he has been on the run for two weeks.
Four police officers arrested in connection with the Tshoaeli escape have since appeared before the Stilfontein Magistrate Court and were granted bail.
Giwusa president Mametlwe Sebei said the union strongly disputes the characterisation of Tshoaeli as a ‘kingpin’.
“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,” he said.
Sebei said in reality, Tshoaeli is a red herring, conveniently used by the police to deflect from their own complicity in the death of hundreds of people.
Asked for a comment, North West police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone referred the inquiry to the statement issued by the national spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, which stated that Tshoaeli is an alleged illegal mining underground kingpin.
The statement was responding to allegations that Tshoaeli is dead.
“So far, four of our own have been arrested and investigations continue. Let’s not jump to conclusions and speculate. Let’s allow the investigation to tell us what exactly happened. Our focus now is where is Tiger, wherever he was taken to, he must be found. With our own arrest, we are hopeful we will get to the truth of what really happened,” Mathe said.
Sebei added that the real kingpins of illegal mining operations are never found in the dirty, dangerous shafts, adding that they are likely living in luxury - residing in suburban mansions, driving luxury cars and working in air-conditioned offices.
“These criminal syndicates operate above ground, controlling the illicit mineral trade through a network of middlemen, corrupt police officers, politicians, private security firms and licensed mining corporations.
“These entities facilitate the transport, export and trade of minerals in international markets, with the kingpins sitting atop this "value chain," wielding true power and control,” he said.
A study conducted by Bench Marks Foundation, a religious non-profit organisation that monitors companies in South Africa and in the region, found that legitimate mining companies purchase gold from illegal miners.
The report added that illegal miners also sold gold to scrap metal dealers, syndicates, security companies and police officers.
The syndicate is also believed to fund political campaigns.
Sebei said the sophisticated operation that enabled Tiger’s escape clearly points to police involvement.
“While we reject the mischaracterisation of Tshoaeli as a kingpin, we demand his arrest and accountability for any alleged abuse and violence against miners. We also hope that the arrests of the four police officers will shed light on the broader organised crime syndicates responsible for extorting minerals and terrorising miners and their communities,” said Sebei.
“We demand the arrest of the real kingpins and their accomplices within the police, political circles and licensed mining corporations. However, the criminal justice system alone is insufficient to combat and dismantle these 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 added.