4,000 ghost workers flagged in govt payroll

National Treasury has revealed that a nationwide ghost worker audit has identified 4,323 suspicious cases within the government’s payroll system, with a verification process already under way.

According to the department, employees who cannot be physically verified will face withheld salaries and suspension of their employment status, as government moves to clamp down on fraud and irregular payments in the public sector.

Treasury highlighted that compensation of employees consumes nearly one-third of consolidated government spending, making payroll integrity a major priority in efforts to protect public funds and improve service delivery.

As part of broader cost-cutting measures, the department also confirmed progress in its Early Retirement Programme, which allows qualifying government employees to retire early without financial penalties. The programme is expected to save R2.6 billion in the current financial year, following the approval of 7,687 applications in its first phase.

To sustain the programme, Treasury has allocated R3.7 billion to departmental baselines for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 financial years, signalling a long-term commitment to reducing the wage bill while stabilising government finances.

The measures form part of government’s wider strategy to clean up public administration, eliminate corruption risks, and ensure that public money is spent on services that directly benefit communities.