Acting provincial police commissioner of North West, Major General Patrick Asaneng on Thursday highlighted that police officers were central to the inexplicable escape of the alleged kingpin at Stilfontein mines.
Despite an extensive deployment of police officers under operation Vala Umgodi, Lesotho national James Neo “Tiger” Tshoaeli who was among the illegal miners rescued and arrested has vanished without a trace.
“What I can say without any fear of contradiction is that we believe that our own members are somehow involved in the disappearance of this wanted illegal mining kingpin. Why we are saying that … we put processes, measures in place immediately when the mine rescue plan was commenced. We had what we call key points.
"All the people that were brought to the surface were properly recorded, accounted for. The corpses that were brought to the surface were duly handed to the government pathological services."
Asaneng said Tiger was identified by police after some of the rescued illegal miners reported to authorities about the kingpin.
He was then separated from the group of rescued miners, and police then made arrangements for the alleged kingpin to be transported to a police station for detention.
Asaneng said during a process of verification, police records showing numbers of detained suspects were tallying adequately, but Tiger was unaccounted for. That is when the wide criminal investigation started.
“We cannot, as the South African Police Service, allow corrupt individuals and members to be in our midst. We are cognizant of the fact that as the police, we are given an onerous responsibility of preventing, combatting and investigating crime. We are expected and required at all times to act with integrity, act with professionalism and, therefore, anyone among us who decides that they will be on the side of criminals, and not on the side of law enforcement, do not deserve to be among our own,” he said.
Disciplinary processes have also been initiated and Asaneng vowed that drastic action will be meted out if the police officers who helped in the escape are found and charged.
Earlier this week, IOL reported that North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport Management, Wessels Morweng expressed anger and disappointment over Tiger’s escape.
According to police reports, Tshoaeli was never booked into any of the police stations where the Stilfontein illegal miners were being booked.
“This is an embarrassment that can’t be tolerated when you look into resources that are put together to eradicate illegal mining activities which so far had been successful. The news of his escape comes as a shock,” said Morweng.
“This person was fingered by illegal miners who have resurfaced from the shaft and a video in police possession shows him as one of the brutal people underground who controlled all operations, killed, tortured and assaulted many and even kept food away from other illegal miners.”
The provincial MEC has appealed to community members to notify nearby police stations with information regarding the whereabouts of Tshoaeli, who is considered dangerous and a fugitive of justice.
“The fact of the matter is that there are many good police officers out there and if there are those who are involved in aiding Tiger, an example should be made out of them to show them that they have chosen a wrong career in the police and they must be dealt with harshly,” said Morweng.
“We can’t tolerate those kinds of officers in our ranks.”
IOL