PRETORIA – South Africa’s Parliament has ordered an urgent audit of ghost employees within the Crime Intelligence Division of the South African Police Service (SAPS) following the arrest of seven senior officials linked to a major payroll fraud scandal.
The directive was issued by Jan de Villiers, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, after top officers including Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo and Major General Philani Lushaba were charged with corruption and fraud in the Pretoria High Court.
The arrests, which took place between June and July, centre on the alleged appointment of unqualified individuals, manipulation of payroll systems, and suspicious activity involving the classified Secret Services Account—used to fund covert operations and informants.
De Villiers said the issue stretches beyond rogue appointments, pointing to deeper collusion within state systems. “Ghost workers do not appear on their own. It takes a network to keep them on the payroll,” he said during a televised interview. Evidence from a Department of Public Service presentation shows that fabricating a ghost employee typically requires at least three individuals, with more involved in maintaining the deception.
Officials believe funds allocated to fake operatives may have been channelled through the Secret Services Account. De Villiers has now called on the National Treasury and the Public Service Commission to complete a full audit of SAPS staffing and the Secret Services Account within 90 days.
Those arrested include Major General Josias Lekalakala, Gauteng Crime Intelligence Head, and Brigadier Phindile Ncube, head of vetting. They appeared in court on June 27 and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Lieutenant General Khumalo was apprehended at OR Tambo International Airport on June 26 by members of the anti-corruption unit. All the accused were in charge of finances, staffing and internal vetting.
The scandal has sparked political response, with the Democratic Alliance describing the arrests as an effort to salvage the credibility of a troubled department. The Economic Freedom Fighters called it further proof of a broken policing system.
Four months before the arrests, SAPS had reportedly warned Parliament of attempts to discredit Khumalo. A March briefing by the police to MPs referred to social media posts alleging improper appointments by the commissioner, claims the police insisted were baseless.
Fadiel Adams, an MP representing the National Coloured Congress, is reported to have lodged formal complaints against SAPS Crime Intelligence.
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi later told media that confidential vetting files and information on covert properties had been leaked to an MP, though he did not reveal who.
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