A manhunt is underway in South Africa for a suspected gang leader James Tshoali, also known as “Tiger” who escaped from the police after being pulled from an illegal gold mine last week.
Tiger, as gathered, allegedly escaped with the help of an unnamed officer after he was apprehended alongside other ring leaders during a search operation at the collapsed mine in Stilfontein.
Meanwhile, the three other suspected ringleaders are in custody.
According to national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, on Monday, the Lesotho national emerged from the deep mine shaft while the place was surrounded by officers and was supposed to be escorted directly to the nearest police station for detention.
However, she added that Tiger was reported missing after a senior officer noticed his absence in the holding cell during a routine inspection.
The police, who confirmed the manhunt through a statement noted that it is investigating who within their forces might have assisted “Tiger” escape.
The search for “Tiger” came days after he was rescued from an illegal gold mine in Stilfontein, where at least 78 miners had died in a tragic collapse.
Enforcement agencies in the country have been facing criticism for their handling of an illegal gold mine situation.
They had been surrounding the mine for months, cutting off food and water supplies in an attempt to force the miners out and arrest them. This approach was widely condemned, as it put the lives of the miners at risk.
The Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, defended the government’s actions, saying that they should not be blamed for the deaths of the miners. He argued that the miners had chosen to enter the mine illegally and engage in illegal activities and that the state should not be held responsible for their deaths.
However, the situation took a tragic turn when a state-sponsored rescue operation was launched, and 246 survivors were rescued from the mine. Many of them were found to be emaciated and weak from hunger.
Authorities claimed that the miners had told them that there was food available underground, but that the gang leaders had kept it for themselves. This suggests that the gang leaders were exploiting the miners and controlling the food supply.
The operations are thought to be run by Lesotho-based gangs, and police say some of the workers are illegal immigrants recruited from neighbouring countries without knowing what they have come to do.