The Department of Mineral Resources’ (DMR’s) Mpumalanga regional office will be closed from September 3 until further notice.
The closure follows feedback received from clients on challenges faced at the Mpumalanga office, mainly relating to backlogs in the issuing of licences and allegations of corruption.
The closure of the office will allow the investigation team, set up by Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe in July, an opportunity to complete its work in the region and to provide feedback to the Minister in due course.
Owing to this, all administrative processes related to the Mpumalanga office will be handled from the DMR’s head office, in Pretoria, until further notice.
The online application system Samrad, will also be closed for Mpumalanga applications.
Applications for renewals and graduation of prospecting rights to mining rights should be submitted manually to the department’s head office.