Govt to fully operationalise computerised mining cadastre system

PHILLIMON MHLANGA

Zimbabwe will next year switch from the current manual system to a fully operationalised digital  mining cadastre system, a move that will enhance transparency and accountability in the administration of mining titles, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Mthuli Ncube has said.

It comes after a successful dry run conducted recently.

Ncube confirmed this in his 2024 budget strategy paper, saying the government was accelerating   the computerisation of the country’s register of mining rights and titles.

“(The) full operationalisation of the computerised mining cadastre information management system, (is) targeted for completion during 2024. It seeks to enhance transparency and accountability in mining title management, eliminate overlapping mining claims, strengthen property rights and security of tenure as well as improve Government’s regulatory capacity through improved efficiencies and revenue collection,” Ncube said.

The cadastre system will have all records of interest in the land such as licence holders’ rights,  restrictions and government activities.

The computerised mining register is also expected to be the central database  for storage of information  on applications and licences.

It is also expected to reduce  processing time for issuance of  mining titles and other mining services in line with best practices across the globe.

Currently,  mining licence separations  are marked on the ground by metal stakes, concrete beacons or some other fixed points  surveyed using conventional methods such as theodolite or archaic methods  involving tape and chains.

The computerised cadastre will also help curb corruption  in the allocation of mining claims.

Due to the outdated and unreliable manual database, there has been widespread disputes over  multiple mining  ownership and claim boundaries.

Ncube said determination of the country’s mineral reserves was important in attracting investment and management of the mineral extraction process in order to balance the needs of the present and future generations, given the finite nature of minerals.

Furthermore, the computerised cadastre system will ensure compliance with environmental laws and reduce incidences of smuggling and other mineral revenue leakages, responsible departments will be capacitated to undertake mining inspections, audits and enforcement of EIA compliance of all mining activities under the “orderly mining initiative”.

Ncube said that Zimbabwe remains on course to generate US$12bn in mineral revenues by end of this year, contributing to economic growth, export earnings and employment creation. Growth over the past five years has resulted in mining contribution to GDP increasing from 9% in 2019 to 13.2% in 2022, and overtaking agriculture and manufacturing to become the second largest industry.

“The boom in the sector, attributable to new investments and favourable international prices is expected to provide critical feedstock for other job creating sectors if beneficiated into appropriate intermediate products, and hence, the drive by “Government to upscale beneficiation along the mining value chain. In this regard, the banning of the export of ores and concentrates for chrome, for example, has seen mining companies invest in the requisite facilities to value-add to ferrochrome, with the same principle being applied to lithium mining.

The artisanal small-scale miners, whose contribution to mineral output has risen over the years, will be facilitated to increase production, formalise their operations and adopt environmentally friendly, safe and sustainable mining methods,” Ncube said.