Auditor General Report Details Mining Penalties and Rehabilitation Failures

The Auditor General submitted a performance audit to Parliament detailing issues within the licensing and monitoring of the mining sector. The audit found that three mining companies owed the Government US$13.7 million in penalties and fees for failing to rehabilitate 264.14 hectares of mined-out land as required by law. Additionally, two operators had outstanding royalty principal and interest totaling US$3.36 million.

The findings highlight weaknesses in the Government's enforcement mechanisms, including the lack of a single auditable rehabilitation register and the non-use of security deposit mechanisms. The audit indicates that one lessee accounted for 64 percent of the un-rehabilitated area and 72 percent of the total monetary exposure.