Cadastre system to boost mining investment

Source: Cadastre system to boost mining investment – herald

Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Martin Rushwaya (right) and Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Zhemu Soda share a lighter moment at a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare yesterday. – Picture: Charles Muchakagara

Mukudzei Chingwere

Senior Reporter

GOVERNMENT is set to strengthen governance in the administration of mining rights after Cabinet received and noted an update on the mining cadastre registration system.

Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Zhemu Soda, said the Mining Cadastre Management Information System is designed to achieve improved competitiveness within the mining industry and attract increased investment.

He added that the system will support more effective management of mining titles by enhancing oversight and streamlining the processes involved in the allocation and administration of rights.

“The Mining Cadastre Management Information System will improve competitiveness in the mining industry in order to attract increased investment through strengthened governance in the administration of mining rights,” said Minister Soda.

To date, he said, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has a repository of over 60 000 licences, spanning from blocks of claims, special grants, mining leases, exclusive prospecting orders and sites, among other permits.

“The computerised mining title platform will address technical challenges experienced, which include disputes from overlapping titles and processing delays,” said Minister Soda.

Meanwhile, Cabinet has approved the Zimbabwe National Quality Policy (2026-2030).

Minister Soda said the Zimbabwe National Quality Policy 2 (2026-2030) will provide a coordinated framework for strengthening Zimbabwe’s quality infrastructure and engender a competitive and fair business environment, thereby enabling local companies to compete favourably in regional and international markets.

“The Policy will ensure that goods are produced to agreed standards of measurement through accurate testing and certification,” said Minister Soda.

“Ultimately, consumers will be protected from unsafe or substandard products.”

Minister Soda said the Zimbabwe National Quality Policy 2 is anchored on six pillars that are standardisation, metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, technical regulations and quality promotion and use.

He said the key interventions under the pillars include, among others, the enactment of a Standards Act to recognise the Standards Association of Zimbabwe as the National Standards Body, the development and implementation of programmes to promote Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, and the strengthening of the National Metrology Institute under the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC).

“The interventions include offering accreditation services for testing, calibration, certification and inspection bodies and the development of a National Conformity Assessment Framework, the National Technical Regulatory Framework and a structured National Quality Awareness Programme,” said Minister Soda.

“A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework will underpin Policy implementation and results measurement.”