The South African government is preparing to roll out a new digital verification system aimed at eliminating ghost workers and payroll fraud across national and provincial departments.
The Department of Home Affairs announced that it is developing a real-time online verification platform for the National Treasury that will use biometric technology and population registry data to confirm the identities of public servants.
Officials believe the initiative could save taxpayers billions of rand by removing fraudulent salary payments and improving the accuracy of government personnel records.
According to National Treasury estimates, ghost workers and payroll irregularities cost South Africa approximately R3.9 billion in 2025 alone.
Ghost workers typically refer to fictitious employees, former staff members who remain on payroll systems, or individuals unlawfully receiving salaries from multiple government departments at the same time.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the new system represents a major step in modernising state administration through digital transformation.
The platform is currently under development and is expected to go live on 15 June 2026. Once launched, the verification process will initially run for two months across national and provincial government departments.
Biometric checks linked to population database
The Department of Home Affairs said the system would integrate directly with South Africa’s national population register and use advanced identity verification technology.
The platform will reportedly conduct “liveliness tests” alongside biometric verification to confirm that employees listed on government payroll systems are real individuals and that their records remain accurate and up to date.
Officials say the use of biometric data could significantly reduce opportunities for fraudulent salary claims and duplicate payments.
Schreiber described the platform as a “world-class” digital tool that demonstrates how government reforms are increasingly relying on technology-driven systems.
“The application of our reform work is now consistently delivering to this new use case and demonstrates that digital transformation is laying the foundation for an entirely rebuilt state,” he said.
The initiative forms part of a broader government effort to strengthen financial oversight and reduce wasteful expenditure in the public sector.
South Africa has faced repeated criticism over weak payroll controls and inefficiencies within parts of the public service. Concerns over corruption, duplicate salary payments, and inaccurate staffing records have persisted for years across various departments and state-owned entities.
Treasury identifies nearly 9,000 high-risk cases
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana previously confirmed that government departments had already begun identifying suspicious payroll cases through a new data-driven approach.
Speaking during his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement, Godongwana said authorities had moved away from older census-style auditing methods that were slow and often ineffective.
Instead, the government is now combining multiple administrative databases to detect anomalies more efficiently.
The Treasury is working alongside the Department of Public Service and Administration and Home Affairs to integrate systems across government structures.
According to Godongwana, the collaboration has already produced early results.
“We have already uncovered close to 9,000 high-risk cases that have been flagged for further verification,” he said.
Analysts believe the success of the new platform could influence future digital reforms across the South African public sector, particularly as government departments face growing pressure to reduce waste and improve accountability.
The project also reflects a broader shift toward biometric identity systems, which are increasingly being adopted globally to strengthen public administration and combat fraud.
Source: Adapted from statements by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs and National Treasury.