Mpumalanga bears the burden of an overwhelming backlog of mining permit applications, surpassing the combined total of all other provinces in South Africa. With 1,584 applications pending approval, Mpumalanga far exceeds the next highest province, the Northern Cape, which has 227 applications awaiting processing. Nationally, a staggering 2,185 mining permits remain in the backlog.

The trend extends to other categories as well, with Mpumalanga leading in Section 22 mining rights applications at 58, while the Northern Cape follows with 26 out of a national total of 160. In prospecting rights applications, Mpumalanga ranks second with 433, closely trailing the Northern Cape with 577—both more than double the figures of any other province. The national tally reaches 1,449.

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has committed to addressing the backlog accumulated over several years. However, an influx of new applications has hindered significant progress. The coal mining sector in Mpumalanga contributes significantly to the backlog.

Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, the DMRE plans to allocate additional resources to the Northern Cape, where the backlog is prominent, by reallocating resources from provinces with smaller backlogs like the Western Cape and Free State. The goal is to eliminate the backlog by the end of the financial year, according to DMRE representatives.