Mike Miller leans into the camera, his face etched with the kind of weariness that comes from dodging death twice. “They sent a drone over our mine, then staged a hijacking on the highway,” he recounts in Mantengu Mining’s new YouTube video. It’s not the talk of a CEO celebrating profits—it’s a survivor’s tale, tied to a shareholder letter that accuses a criminal syndicate of infiltrating the JSE and rigging markets for personal gain.
Miller’s journey started as a numbers man, steering Mantengu from a shell company to profitability with R2.96 million in earnings and a R500 million GEM funding boost. But in 2024, the share price crumbled—from R1.20 to pennies. “It wasn’t the market,” Miller says softly. “It was a hit job.” His investigation revealed a syndicate that preys on juniors: crash prices via short-selling, hide control with nominees and round-tripping to avoid 35% thresholds, then force delisting and snatch assets cheap.
The human cost shines through the evidence. Five hours of recordings capture voices plotting, bragging about past victims. Five hundred pages of transcripts include a delisted CEO’s story—he was threatened until he helped tank his own firm, getting a luxury car as “compensation.” “They approached shareholders with guns or gifts,” Miller explains, his eyes distant.
The JSE twist hits like a gut punch. Emails from a whistleblower show two board directors coordinating manipulation, ordering a halt when Mantengu’s probe intensified, and discussing crypto payments. Miller reported it in February 2025. No response. “Fobbed off,” he sighs.
Law enforcement brought more pain. A March Hawks filing vanished—closed by a Randburg brigadier. Miller refiled in Pretoria, avoiding “influenced” areas like Sandton. “They own precincts,” he whispers.
The threats? Personal. A drone incident felt like scouting; the hijack like a message. “Two attempts on my life,” Miller shares, voice breaking. “For what? Exposing the truth?”
Amid the pain, street stories add layers—some say the tactics echo the Moti Group, Zunaid Moti’s controversial empire under Hawks fire for fraud. No direct link, but the intimidation feels too close.
Miller’s plea is human: “This is for shareholders who’ve lost everything. Clean the JSE, or it’s just a syndicate’s playground.”
