Call for Urgent Ghost-Worker Audit in the Saps Crime Intelligence Following Several Arrests

The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, Mr Jan de Villiers, on Thursday submitted a formal request to the Minister of Police calling for an independent and immediate audit into ghost employees within the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence Division.

This request follows the recent arrest of seven senior officials for serious corruption-related offences. They appeared before the Pretoria Regional Court on charges of fraud and corruption relating to the appointment of an unqualified civilian in a senior post. The arrests, which took place between June and July 2025, involved high-ranking officials responsible for financial oversight, personnel management and internal controls.

The list includes:

• Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo (Divisional Commissioner)
• Maj-Gen Philani Lushaba (Chief Financial Officer)
• Maj-Gen Josias Lekalakala (Gauteng Crime Intelligence Head)
• Maj-Gen Nosipho Madondo (Head of Analysis Centre)
• Maj-Gen Zwelithini Gabela (Technology Services)
• Brig Dineo Mokwele (Technical Systems)
• Brig Phindile Ncube (Head of Vetting)

Mr de Villiers said these arrests raise grave concerns about systemic corruption within Crime Intelligence, particularly in relation to payroll fraud and the possible existence of “ghost workers” – non-existent individuals who draw salaries and benefits from the SAPS payroll.

In his letter, the Chairperson also refers to the Secret Services Account, a classified budget line intended for covert operations and informant payments, which has historically been flagged as highly vulnerable to abuse. With many of the arrested officials directly responsible for managing this fund, there is serious concern that public resources may have been misappropriated to fund fabricated operatives or fake intelligence activity. “It is reasonable to expect similar malpractice in payroll management… the possibility of irregular appointments, inflated headcounts and unvetted recruits of ‘ghost’ employees is high,” said the Chairperson.

The formal request also calls for the National Treasury and the Public Service Commission to coordinate an audit of the Crime Intelligence division within 90 days. This audit must focus on verifying headcounts against the number of personnel physically deployed. All Secret Service Account payments, including informant lists and payment records, must also be audited.

This request is aligned with the Minister of Finance and the Department of Public Service and Administration’s ongoing efforts to identify and remove ghost employees across the public service.

The Chairperson also reminded the Minister of Police, Mr Senzo Mchunu, and the rest of SAPS leadership that ghost-worker fraud in government is not isolated. “It takes sophisticated collusion to create and maintain these ghost-worker employees, who operate like organised criminal syndicates embedded in our government systems,” he said.

“We trust that under Minister Mchunu’s leadership, SAPS will use this opportunity to lead by example – rooting out embedded corruption and reclaiming public funds for real intelligence and public safety services.”

This urgent audit is not just a matter of financial accountability but also one of restoring public trust in Crime Intelligence and ensuring that South Africa’s intelligence-led policing is backed by a credible, ethical and fully functional institution.

Per Kind Favour of APO

Africa Fact: Africans pioneered basic arithmetic 25,000 years ago. The Ishango bone is a tool handle with notches carved into it found in the Ishango region of Zaïre (now called Congo) near Lake Edward. The bone tool was originally thought to have been over 8,000 years old, but a more sensitive recent dating has given dates of 25,000 years old. On the tool are 3 rows of notches. Row 1 shows three notches carved next to six, four carved next to eight, ten carved next to two fives and finally a seven. The 3 and 6, 4 and 8, and 10 and 5, represent the process of doubling. Row 2 shows eleven notches carved next to twenty-one notches, and nineteen notches carved next to nine notches. This represents 10 + 1, 20 + 1, 20 – 1 and 10 – 1. Finally, Row 3 shows eleven notches, thirteen notches, seventeen notches and nineteen notches. 11, 13, 17 and 19 are the prime numbers between 10 and 20.