South Africa to launch online mining rights portal
South Africa is set to launch a long-awaited online mining registry in July 2025, marking a significant step toward improving transparency and attracting much-needed investment in the country’s struggling mining sector.
The new digital cadastre will display all mining and prospecting rights, addressing a key concern among investors and industry players who have cited the absence of such a system as a major barrier to exploration and licensing.
Deputy Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Phumzile Mgcina announced the move during an interview in London, noting that the current licensing process is cumbersome and inefficient. The registry, initially covering the Western Cape due to its smaller administrative backlog, is expected to streamline licensing and permit applications. However, there is no fixed timeline for expanding the system to the rest of the country.
Mining in Africa
South Africa, once the global leader in gold production, has seen its output decline by over 70% in the past two decades. Production of platinum-group metals (PGMs) is also projected to fall. The government is aiming to reverse this trend by attracting 5% of global exploration expenditure. Currently, South Africa receives only about 1% of global exploration budgets, a drop from 2–4% in the late 1990s and early 2000s, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence.
The cadastre is being developed by a consortium that includes Canada’s Pacific GeoTech Systems Ltd., bringing South Africa closer to the standards of regional peers like Botswana, the DRC, and Zambia. Additionally, the government recently amended draft mining legislation to exempt prospecting firms from Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) requirements that apply to producers. It also plans to introduce new electricity tariffs for ferrochrome smelters and impose controls and taxes on chrome ore exports to revive the local beneficiation industry. These reforms aim to restore investor confidence and unlock the potential of South Africa’s vast mineral wealth.
