The Western Cape High Court will on Monday begin hearing the case of Australian mining company Tormin, which is accused of large scale environmental destruction in the province.

The Department of Environmental Affairs had previously attempted to hold Tormin criminally responsible for transgressing environmental laws.

Tormin’s mining operations are alleged to have caused the collapse of a cliff.

However, the oversight of mining companies was transferred to the Department of Mineral Resources, resulting in Tormin wanting the court to set aside actions taken against it by the Department of Environmental Affairs and others, including a magistrate who ordered a search and seizure of Tormin.