Net closes on more than 8000 high-risk government ghost worker cases

THERE have been 8 854 high-risk cases flagged by the National Treasury, in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Revenue Service, amid their campaign to identify and eliminate “ghost workers”.

- THEOLIN TEMBO.

Ghost workers are individuals who are listed on the payroll but do not perform the duties associated with their position — including individuals who have left the public service or who are deceased.

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced the progress that has been made in identifying ghost workers during his 2025 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) on Wednesday.

an his MTBPS, he said government has initiated an audit to not only identify ghost workers, but also identify payment irregularities across national and provincial departments.

“The National Treasury has partnered with the Department of Home Affairs and the South African Revenue Service to analyse payroll, population and tax data to identify potential ghost workers. Initial results indicate 8 854 high-risk cases requiring further verification”

“These include cases flagged for payment from multiple departments, inactive employees and those with bank account anomalies,’ Godongwana said.

The minister added that a two-month verification process will begin in January 2026, followed by appropriate legal action.