Tshwane removes ghost workers from payroll, saves R2m a month

The City of Tshwane has frozen salary and stipend payments totalling more than R2m a month after removing ghost (non-existent) workers from its payroll.

This is after it conducted a full verification of all its 20,646 employees and Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) participants.

The verification process implemented over two months required permanent and fixed-term contract employees to present themselves physically with proof of identity.

The MMC for corporate and shared services, Kingsley Wakelin, said the process achieved a 99.8% success rate in verifying 20,602 employees, including those on suspension.

“Of the 44 employees who did not present themselves physically for verification, three were in hospital, seven were on extended sick leave and one was incarcerated. Further internal investigations are to be conducted with the line managers concerned,” he said.

Wakelin said a separate verification of EPWP participants occurred, which confirmed 10,763 individuals (95.8%), with 496 not verified.

“Once unverified employees and EPWP participants were identified, the city took immediate steps to halt their salary and stipend payments, and further resolved to terminate their employment and participation in the EPWP. These actions have saved Tshwane more than R2m a month,” said Wakelin.

He said that as part of their control measures, heads of departments will continue to sign off on salary payments each month, and the city intends to conduct employee and EPWP participant verification every year.

TimesLIVE