Mining cadastre system to be online by December
The implementation of the Mining Cadastre Information Management System is expected to be done by the end of this year, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development Hon Winston Chitando has said.
Speaking during the 2023 edition of the Investing in Africa Mining Indaba held in Cape Town, Hon Chitando said the government has made a commitment to issue the cadastre system by December 2023.
“The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is almost complete towards migrating from the manual, to automation of the computerized Mining Cadastre Information System. This is part of the Government’s drive to add value and beneficiation in the mining sector and to underpin the sector’s vision to be a USD12 billion economy by 2023. As a Government, we have made a commitment to institute the digital system by December 2023. The Cadastre system is meant to expedite the process of mining administration and mineral accountability,” Minister Chitando said.
The Mining Cadastre Portal provides an e-Government platform for all stakeholders in the mineral sector to engage directly with the mining commissioners who issue mining certificates. The Portal aims to ensure international standards of transparency with an emphasis on improving the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe.
The computerized cadastre Portal will be open for registrations for existing mineral titleholders who will have a period to verify and validate their individual mineral titles. Once verified, registered users will be able to view their portfolios and provide feedback on title data. Online applications and other portfolio management functionality will commence after the inauguration of the system.
Currently, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is flooded with several running disputes caused by over-pegging and double allocation of mining titles which at times results in chaos in the sector.
The introduction of the new mapping system is therefore expected to bring sanity to Zimbabwe’s mining sector, the Southern African country’s single largest foreign currency earner, and spur growth through that economic segment.
Advantages of the cadastre system
The computer-based cadastre system is expected to enhance transparency and accountability in the administration of mining titles.
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 the storage of information on applications and licences.
It is also expected to reduce processing time for the 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. This method has been criticized for breeding corruption in the allocation of titles.
The cadastre system will therefore help curb corruption in the allocation of mining claims.