Dear Editor
The DA is determined to stop public money from being stolen/looted through ghost worker schemes. We will be launching parliamentary questions to all Ministers in government to verify compliance with National Treasury’s directive to eliminate ghost workers and meet the February 2026 deadline.
It cannot be that the government’s purse is being purged by workers who do not exist. Yesterday, in the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, it was revealed that the government may be losing more than R3.9 billion annually to ghost employees, based on a 1% compromise rate across the state’s 1.3 million payroll.
In some instances of brazen ghost employment, it has been found that salaries are paid to minors, people are drawing allowances from multiple departments, and payments are continuing after death, retirement, or resignation.
Evidence already points to the seriousness of the crisis. In Mpumalanga, the Department of Education recorded R28.2 million in salary overpayments, while Gauteng’s Department of Health froze salaries for 230 unverifiable employees. At PRASA, Project Ziveze flagged around 3,000 ghost workers.
The DA supports National Treasury’s binding circular issued on 8 September, requiring all departments to conduct full physical verification of every person on their payroll. According to the circular, reports must be submitted by 28 February 2026. This means departments have been given a two-month verification window for flagged employees to prove their status. Biometric verification systems are being developed with the Department of Home Affairs, and departments failing to comply will face parliamentary consequence management. Pension contributions to ghost employees will also be clawed back.
The DA will not allow this corruption to continue unchecked. Through our parliamentary probe we will demand proof of compliance, resourcing, and implementation. Every rand lost to ghost workers is money stolen from classrooms, hospitals, and transport services. The DA is determined to protect the public purse and hold every department in government accountable.
Regards
Eleanore Bouw Spies
DA Spokesperson on Public Service and Administration