Crime expert: “He’s not really a kingpin. He is more like a lieutenant that commands the soldiers on the ground”

By Kouthar Sambo

North West police have launched a manhunt for a fugitive kingpin linked to underground crimes at mines in Stilfontein, James Neo Tshoaeli, alias “Tiger”.

According to police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, maximum resources have been mobilised, vowing accountability for officials who enabled Tiger’s escape from custody. She said the suspect, who is accused of assault, torture, and hoarding underground, is considered “extremely dangerous.”

Speaking on VOC’s PM Drive show, organised crime expert Chad Thomas said the real kingpins have not yet been identified.

“This is a very organised crime taking place underground where the gold is coming to the surface, being refined, and then being sent abroad, which means there are diverse parts to this ecosystem,” explained Thomas.

“There’s a lot of attention placed on this person that goes by the name of Tiger, but he’s not really a kingpin. He is more like a lieutenant that commands the soldiers on the ground, keeping people down and ensuring the gold they’ve already mined and the weapons they have down there,” contextualised Thomas.

Photo: @AffairAfrica/X

Picture of Kouthar Sambo
Kouthar Sambo

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