THE Free State provincial government has begun an intensive verification of its staff establishment in a bid to root out long-suspected “ghost employees” draining public funds.
This comes after the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) issued a directive ordering all national and provincial departments, as well as public entities, to conduct full head counts by February 2026 and submit progress reports on their findings.
Tabling the 2025/26 adjustment budget before the Provincial Legislature on Tuesday, MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism Ketso Makume said provincial departments had already initiated internal head-count verification processes in response to the directive.
Makume said the move was crucial to addressing the “long-standing risk associated with so-called ‘ghost workers’”, which has for years raised concerns about inflated salary bills, inaccurate payroll data and potential fraud.
“This exercise is essential for strengthening the integrity of our personnel records and ensuring that we maintain an accurate and accountable staff establishment,” he said.
The MEC added that both the Provincial Treasury and National Treasury would support departments throughout the verification process, which forms part of efforts to align compensation-of-employees budgets with the approved PERSAL structure – the government’s central payroll and human resource management system.
Makume stressed that reliable data was key to improving workforce planning, budgeting and governance.
“This initiative is a critical component of ensuring that decision-making is based on accurate, reliable and verifiable data,” he said.
The MEC reiterated the government’s long-standing call for full transparency within the public service.
Makume said this approach reflected the province’s commitment to accountability and the prudent management of public resources at a time when departments continue to face financial pressure.
The head-count verification exercise is expected to intensify as the province works toward meeting the February 2026 national deadline.