Mining Weekly reports that the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) said on Wednesday that it was in the process of completing its investigation on the allegations of maladministration and corruption at its Mpumalanga offices.  

This was indicated following the department’s reopening of its Mpumalanga regional office almost a year after its closure following allegations of corruption and backlogs in the issuing of licenses.  Since the Mpumalanga regional office's online application system (SAMRAD) was closed, all administrative processes such as applications for renewals and graduation of prospecting rights to mining rights had been handled manually from the head office in Pretoria.  "The ministerial investigating task team is in the process of concluding its report with the relevant recommendations, for presentation to the minister," the department indicated.  It took the decision to reopen the office in the meantime so as not to further inconvenience applicants and investors in the sector.

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