Mining cadastre to be finalised next year

Zimbabwe has been mapping a Mining Cadastre System (Cadastre System) in order to take stock of all mines and minerals in the country and it seeks to complete the process next year.

A cadastre system is a computer-based and up-to-date land information system containing a record of interests in land such as land owners’ rights, restrictions and responsibilities.

In 2022, government said it had sunk in excess of US$5,5 million in the development of the Cadastre System that went live in the first quarter of 2023.

During the 2024 budget presentation, the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Prof Mthuli Ncube, said the cadastre system will be completed in the coming year.

“The Computerised Mining Cadastre Information Management System is on its final stages of being rolled out and this is expected to be completed in 2024. The system is expected to enhance transparency and accountability in the mining title management, facilitate the elimination of overlapping mining claims, strengthening property rights and security of tenure,” he said.

In order to complete the programme, the treasury said $13,3 billion is being allocated under the 2024 national budget.

Once completed the system is expected to anchor transformation of the mining industry, through enhancing speed and transparency in mining title registration and management.

It is also expected to augment government’s regulatory capacity through improved efficiency and revenue collection, avoidance of overlapping mining titles, strengthening property rights and security of tenure within the mining sector as well as the ease of doing business, among others.

The mining sector is in turmoil, characterised by bureaucratic red tape and corruption, among other factors, causing loss of business confidence, resulting in capital flight.

For mining companies, this is made easier by the fact that a proper cadastre shows what rights are currently valid, their expiry date, precise location and the mineral or minerals in question.

As an example, if Anglo American has a prospecting right for, say, diamonds in Marange that expires in five years’ time, it will be known that it is set in stone.

-ebusinessweekly