News24 reports that the Thabazimbi Regional Court this week sentenced a man to R80,000 or two years' imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal mining.

Cheng Liang Tom Chen was caught transporting chrome, without a permit, on 3 August 2022. He was arrested with four other people after law enforcement agencies conducted an illegal mining disruptive operation at Zwartkop Zone 1 in the Northam area. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Matimba Maluleke confirmed: "The operation resulted in the arrest of five suspects caught in the area transporting chrome without a permit. Chen was among the arrested suspects." He added that the teams seized one excavator, one horse truck with double trailers loaded with chrome, one tipper truck and two motor vehicles.

• Read the original of the short report in the above regard by Tshepiso Motloung at News24

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