Officials who aided the escape of an alleged Stilfontein illegal mining kingpin are in hot water as acting North West police commissioner Major General Patrick Asaneng has vowed that the ‘heads will roll’.

A statement issued by national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe this morning said that Lesotho national James Neo Tshoaeli escaped en route from shaft 11 and the Stilfontein police holding cells.

“Extensive investigations and tracing operations are underway to find those officials who aided his escape,” Mathe explains.

She adds that according to records, Tshoaeli – commonly known as Tiger – was not booked into one of the other police stations where some illegal miners are being kept and was not admitted to a hospital for medical care.

Mathe says that Tshoaeli is named in several statements as being one of the ring leaders who controlled operations underground. A previous statement by her noted that 246 illegal miners were rescued and 78 bodies were retrieved during the High Court-ordered rescue operation at the shaft.

Police say he has been accused by some illegal miners who resurfaced as ‘being allegedly responsible for some deaths, assault and torture that is alleged to have taken place’, and say they have videos corroborating these claims.

“He is also alleged to have hoarded and kept food away from other illegal miners,” says Mathe.

Asaneng is disappointed by the escape, which he dubs an ’embarrassment’ to the Vala Umgodi operation that has been running since December 2023.

He ordered maximum resources to be mobilised to find the alleged kingpin.

“Tiger is a fugitive of justice and is considered dangerous,” Mathe says.

Members of the public are advised to share any information about his whereabouts with the Stilfontein police.