Wettiging kan begin, behalwe dat die verwerkingsfooi hoog is.

Afrikaans often leaves out the article with abstract nouns when speaking in a general or process-like way. So Wettiging kan begin has the sense of legalization can begin.

If you said Die wettiging kan begin, that would sound more like you are talking about one specific legalization process already identified in the conversation.

Because kan is a modal verb meaning can, and it is followed by the base form of the next verb, here begin.

This works very much like English:

• It can begin
• Dit kan begin

Also, Afrikaans verbs do not change much for person or number in the present tense, so you do not get endings like English begins.

After modal verbs such as kan, moet, wil, sal, mag, Afrikaans normally uses the bare infinitive, without om te.

So:

• kan begin = correct
• kan om te begin = incorrect

You do use om te in other structures, for example:

• Dit is tyd om te begin = It is time to begin

Behalwe dat means except that, except for the fact that, or with the exception that.

It introduces a qualification or caveat. So the sentence says that the process can start, except that / but there is one issue: the processing fee is high.

Maar simply means but and gives a general contrast.

Behalwe dat is more specific. It means there is an exception, reservation, or caveat.

So:

• ..., maar die verwerkingsfooi is hoog = more neutral, conversational contrast
• ..., behalwe dat die verwerkingsfooi hoog is = more formal and more like except that the processing fee is high

Because dat introduces a subordinate clause, and in Afrikaans subordinate clauses the finite verb usually moves toward the end.

Compare:

• Main clause: Die verwerkingsfooi is hoog
• Subordinate clause: ... dat die verwerkingsfooi hoog is

This verb-final pattern is very common after words like dat, omdat, terwyl, and as.

Because Afrikaans normally writes compound nouns as one word.

So verwerking + fooi becomes verwerkingsfooi.

This is very typical in Afrikaans. The last part usually tells you the main category of the word. So a verwerkingsfooi is a kind of fooi.

That -s- is a linking element often used in Afrikaans compounds. It does not add a separate meaning here; it simply helps join the parts naturally.

So:

• verwerking
• fooi
• together: verwerkingsfooi

You will see this kind of linking s in many compound words.

Because hoog is used predicatively here, after the verb is.

In Afrikaans, adjectives after a linking verb usually stay in their basic form:

• Die verwerkingsfooi is hoog

But before a noun, you often use the inflected form:

• 'n hoë verwerkingsfooi

So:

• hoog after is
• hoë before a noun

Hoog is the most natural word for an amount such as a fee, price, rate, or cost.

• Die fooi is hoog = The fee is high

Duur usually describes something as expensive:

• Die proses is duur = The process is expensive

So hoog fits fooi especially well, while duur more naturally describes the overall thing or service.

It shows that the noun is definite: the processing fee, not just a processing fee.

That suggests a specific fee connected with this process, probably one already understood from the context.

Yes. It sounds fairly formal or administrative because of words like wettiging, verwerkingsfooi, and behalwe dat.

A more everyday version might be:

• Wettiging kan begin, maar die verwerkingsfooi is hoog.

That version is simpler and more conversational, although behalwe dat gives a slightly more precise exception/caveat feeling.