CAPE TOWN: South Africa will introduce an online mining applications system after a six-month moratorium on new prospecting rights ends next month, the mineral resources minister said on Monday."When the moratorium is lifted at the end of the six months which started last year in September, it will usher in a new era characterised by (a) long overdue online application system," minister Susan Shabangu told reporters.
"Effectively it will be coming on board in March."The system, which cost 3.4 million rands ($469.6 million, 345.5 million euros), allows applications for mining permits, prospecting rights and mining rights to be lodged and progress viewed online.Immediate acceptance letters will be issued if criteria are met, including no overlaps with existing mineral rights.
The ministry announced the six-month moratorium last year to audit all rights granted since 2004.Shabangu said any potential manipulation of data, such as dates and times of applications filed, will be eliminated by the new system."The purpose of the system is to make sure that the data that comes into the department, it's not corrupted," said Shabangu.
"The issues raised in the past was that we are not transparent, there's corruption in our system, so we're eliminating those human factors which made us to be seen to be corrupt."South Africa is among the world's largest producers of gold, platinum and chromium. The mining industry brought in 241.3 billion rand in 2009 and is the economy's largest export sector.
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