The system will conduct liveness tests and real-time biometric verification of employee records to ensure the information is accurate.
The Department of Home Affairs says it has developed a new real-time employee verification platform for National Treasury. This forms part of government’s efforts to clamp down on ghost workers and protect public funds.
The online verification portal will officially go live on 15 June 2026. It will initially run for two months across national and provincial government departments.
According to Home Affairs, the system forms part of government’s broader digital transformation agenda. Specifically, it aims to strengthen accountability in the public sector.
Biometric verification to tackle fraud
Home Affairs said the platform was built using the department’s “trusted digital identity verification capabilities”. Furthermore, it is linked directly to the population register.
The system will conduct liveness tests and biometric real-time verification of employee records. This is to ensure government personnel information is accurate and up to date.
The department said the initiative supports efforts to eliminate ghost employees and payment irregularities. These issues reportedly cost the national fiscus an estimated R3.9 billion in 2025.
“The platform has the power to save South African taxpayers billions of Rands,” Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said.
Schreiber said the technology would help identify fraudulent employees and those involved in payroll corruption.
“If used consistently, this platform has the power to save South African taxpayers billions of Rands by leveraging the power of enhanced biometric systems to identify ghost employees and others involved in defrauding government payrolls,” he said.
Digital reform drive
The department described the project as the latest milestone in Home Affairs’ digital reform programme.
Home Affairs said the platform demonstrates how digital technology can be used to improve governance. Moreover, it can strengthen accountability and modernise state systems.
Schreiber said the department’s ongoing reforms were laying the groundwork for a more capable and secure state.
“The application of the digital capabilities our reform work is now consistently delivering to this new use case demonstrates that the digital transformation of Home Affairs is laying the foundation for an entirely rebuilt state, with the benefits being felt widely across government and society,” he said.
The rollout comes as government departments continue to face pressure to tighten financial controls and improve oversight of public sector payroll systems. This pressure is amid growing concerns over wasteful and irregular expenditure.
