National Treasury public sector audit uncovers over 4,000 ghost workers

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presents the 2026 Budget on Wednesday. In a significant move towards enhancing accountability within state finances, South Africa’s National Treasury has unveiled that more than 4,000 “ghost workers” have been detected in an ongoing audit of national and provincial departments. Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana revealed this startling discovery during the Joint Sitting of Parliament while presenting the 2026 Budget on Wednesday.

The term “ghost workers” refers to individuals who are either non-existent or ineligible for payroll inclusion yet are receiving state salaries. This audit, aimed at scrutinising the public-sector payroll, has revealed 4,323 suspicious cases within the PERSAL system, a vital tool for public service employee management. Minister Godongwana emphasised the gravity of the findings, stating that the presence of non-existent employees on the government payroll has long been one of the most alarming deficiencies in public financial management.

“A verification process is under way,” he confirmed, “and employees who cannot be physically verified will have their salaries withheld and their employment status suspended.” This decisive measure aims to prevent further wastage of taxpayer funds. Godongwana outlined the steps being taken to confirm the identities of these workers. This involves facial matching against the National Population Register and further physical verifications, including a crosscheck with existing projects from the DPSA and the Department of Basic Education aimed at curtailing ghost workers.

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The next stage of this ambitious project will see enhancements to the payroll systems and the introduction of a single sign-on for public servants. These changes are expected to automate oversight functions, curtail irregularities, and enable more effective financial management across government entities. Addressing concerns raised by the Select Committee on Appropriations, Godongwana assured Members of Parliament that discussions are ongoing to finalise the timelines for this pivotal verification process.

He acknowledged the committee’s concerns, stating that effective participation from all levels of government — national to local — is critical for accurately assessing the workforce and improving budgeting and financial controls. The committee had previously underscored the importance of this verification process in its report on the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, pressing the need for transparent timelines to empower Parliament’s oversight of the outcomes. In a landscape plagued by financial mismanagement, the National Treasury’s discovery of ghost workers signals a pivotal stride towards greater reform in the public sector. As verification efforts continue, the focus remains on ensuring that taxpayer money is judiciously allocated and safeguarded from fraudulent activities.

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