KZN leads nationwide crackdown on ghost workers in education departments

The fight against ghost workers in South Africa’s public sector has taken a decisive turn, with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education announcing the rollout of a large-scale employee verification drive a process now set to expand across all provinces.

The initiative, first piloted in KZN, has since been adopted as a national programme under the Department of Basic Education, with oversight by the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC).

Why the checks are happening

For years, administrative delays in processing retirements, resignations, or deaths have left provincial departments paying salaries to people no longer employed. These so-called “ghost workers” have drained resources that should be funding critical needs in schools.

“Upon identifying these discrepancies, we engaged the Provincial Treasury to strengthen IT systems and safeguard the process,” the department explained.

A move toward transparency

Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka described the programme as an important step towards accountability.

“We are confident that the verification process will enhance transparency, accountability, and good governance,” he said, urging all staff members to cooperate fully.

The verification will run through the Persal system, which manages salary payments for public service employees, and will be used to confirm the accuracy of payroll records across provinces.

From KZN to the rest of the country

While KZN is the starting point, the initiative will gradually cover all provincial education departments. National backing, officials say, will ensure standardised checks and processes across the education sector.

Public reaction

The announcement has been welcomed by civil society and teacher unions, many of whom have long raised concerns about mismanagement and wastage in education budgets. Social media users also weighed in, with some praising the move as overdue, while others questioned why such checks were not standard practice before.

For parents, educators, and communities across South Africa, the hope is that rooting out ghost workers will free up much-needed funds for classrooms, resources, and learner support the places where every rand is meant to count.

{Source: IOL}

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