Online Export Permit System Nears Completion, but Miners Still Face Costly Delays

As part of the Economic Growth and Stability pillar of the National Development Strategy 1, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development has revealed that the establishment of Zimbabwe’s online export permit system is now 90% complete, with some mines already identified for trial runs, Mining Zimbabwe can report.

By Rudairo Mapuranga

Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, added that this milestone is expected to modernize the country’s mineral marketing framework, improve efficiency, and reduce leakages in the sector.

However, while progress on the online system is being celebrated, the current state of the export approval process paints a far less encouraging picture for miners. Some mining companies have been waiting for over two months to receive clearance to export a 100-ton sample of mica to their off-take partners abroad. Despite securing permits and even receiving advance payments from customers, the shipment remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo.

The delays, which miners say stem from conflicting positions between the Ministry of Mines and the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), are threatening livelihoods. Off-take partners are reportedly growing impatient, with some walking away from deals altogether.

“These inefficiencies are damaging legitimate businesses,” one miner remarked privately, pointing out that neighboring countries process export paperwork far quicker. In Mozambique, the approval can take as little as two days, while in Zambia it is typically cleared within a week. By contrast, Zimbabwean miners are left waiting two to six months.

The drawn-out process has raised fears that the system may be unintentionally pushing miners toward smuggling as a faster alternative. Reports suggest some producers are already moving goods through neighboring countries, depriving Zimbabwe of much-needed foreign currency earnings.

Industry observers argue that without clear communication and coordination between MMCZ and the Ministry of Mines, miners will remain trapped in uncertainty. Unless these bottlenecks are urgently addressed, the government’s efforts to modernize the system may fail to restore confidence.

For now, while the near completion of the online export permit system is welcome, miners are watching closely to see whether it will truly resolve the inefficiencies that have long plagued the sector — or simply add another layer of delay.