Mpumalanga Education Dep. Paid R6 Million In Salaries To Ghost Workers

The Mpumalanga Department of Education has come under fire for irregular expenditures amounting to over R6 million. An auditor general’s report has uncovered that salaries were disbursed to ghost workers—individuals who no longer exist within the departmental payroll.

This crisis not only raises questions about financial management but also highlights potential corruption within public service.

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Details of the Irregular Expenditure

The Auditor General’s report indicated that R6,408,775 was paid to employees who were either deceased or had left the department, which reveals serious lapses in the financial management practices of the department.

Experts argue that certain officials failed to ensure timely notifications were made to halt payments to these non-existent employees, in violation of the Public Finance Management Act. As these overpayments continue to accumulate, the risk of a substantial financial loss looms large for the department if recovery efforts are not initiated swiftly.

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Call for Accountability and Investigations

Political figures like Themba Godi and analyst Dr Ntsikelelo Breakfast have called for immediate criminal investigations into those responsible for authorizing these payments. Godi has emphasized the urgent need for a crackdown on corruption, given Mpumalanga’s tarnished reputation.

Not only are these financial discrepancies harmful, but they also perpetuate a culture where corruption goes unpunished. If action is not taken, the public could believe that such misconduct is acceptable, further eroding trust in governmental institutions.