Zambia's government plans to introduce an online system in mineral licensing to promote transparency and accountability in licence issuance and revenue collection.

This is according to the minister of Mines, Energy and Water Development Yamfwa Mukanga who said, lack of an online software system has caused confusion in the issuance of mining licences in Zambia.

The Zambian government expects the new system to eliminate corruption in the issuance of mining licences by the ministry responsible.

A former minister of mines is already appearing in court over allegations that he corruptly issued mining licences to a Chinese mining company.

The ministry said South African company Spatial Dimension is developing an internet-based system that will improve transparency in applying and awarding of mining licences and paying of mineral rights.

“At the moment, we are still trying to solve a dispute where two mining companies were given licences to do mining activities including exploration within the same area because of inconsistencies in the licence area coordinates. This is why we want to start using the cadastre system beginning to avoid such confusions,” Mukanga said.

He added that once the system is operational, all transactions will be done online therefore eliminate the current system of cash exchanging hands, which he said was the cause for rampant corruption in the mining sector.

He also said the system would guide officers in the ministry of Mines, Energy and Water Development as to which areas mineral explorations are already taking place since it will be easy to track down licence area coordinates.