Public Service Department

South Africa’s Public Service and Administration Department has stepped up its battle against corruption with a set of strong, practical changes aimed at building a more honest and responsible government. At a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday, 2 December 2025, to mark International Anti-Corruption Day, Minister Inkosi Mzamo Buthelezi said the country has reached a key turning point where people expect a state that works well and follows the rules. He called corruption a deep-rooted problem that weakens democracy, hurts service delivery, and slows down the economy. Buthelezi stressed that it’s time to move from words to real action, describing corruption as thriving in weak systems with poor controls and no accountability.

The reforms include lifestyle audits for public servants, a new central register for those found guilty of corruption, better protection for whistleblowers, and steps to deal with ghost workers. These measures come as South Africa looks back on its successful role in leading the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group, showing the country’s ability to guide global efforts against graft. With corruption costing the economy billions each year and eroding public trust, these steps aim to create a culture of integrity and make sure wrongdoing is caught early and punished fairly.

A New Phase in the Fight Against Corruption: From Words to Action
Minister Buthelezi made it clear that the days of just talking about corruption are over. “The consequences are visible in diminished public trust, compromised service delivery and economic stagnation, that ends up depriving South Africans of opportunities and dignity,” he said. He described the launch as a fresh promise to the people, committing to a public service built on ethics, responsibility, and good performance.

Buthelezi pointed to South Africa’s work in the G20, where the country helped build stronger international agreements on things like fair procurement, getting back stolen assets, fighting money laundering, and stopping illegal money flows. “South Africa’s work in the G20 demonstrated that indeed South Africa has the ability to convene, to lead and to deliver on complex multilateral reforms,” he added. These global lessons are now being used at home to make the fight against corruption more effective.
Lifestyle Audits: A Three-Step Process to Root Out Hidden Wealth
One of the main reforms is lifestyle audits for public servants, which Buthelezi explained in three simple stages. First, workers must declare their assets online through e-disclosures. Second, these declarations are checked to make sure they match what the person really owns—like verifying if someone who says they have two cars actually has five registered in their name.

Buthelezi gave an example: if transport records show more cars than declared, it raises a red flag. But he noted that not all mismatches mean corruption—sometimes it’s just old cars not deregistered. The third step kicks in if something looks wrong: a full probe into unexplained wealth. If guilty, the case goes to law enforcement for charges, while the department handles discipline.
The challenge, he said, is a shortage of trained investigators, so departments often hire expensive outsiders. To fix this, the department is building a shared pool of investigators for all to use. This aims to catch problems early and stop corruption before it spreads.

Central Offender Register: No Second Chances for Corrupt Officials

Another big change is a new central register for public servants found guilty of corruption. Buthelezi said those dismissed for graft will be listed here, stopping them from getting jobs elsewhere in government. “Those dismissed for corruption would be placed on the new central offender register so that they could not return to public employment,” he explained.
This tool will help departments check backgrounds before hiring, making sure bad actors stay out. It’s part of a wider push to clean up the public service and rebuild trust.

Ghost Workers Crackdown: Verifying Every Employee

Deputy Minister Pinky Kekana spoke about ghost workers—fake employees on payrolls stealing money. She said the department and Treasury are checking every worker in all departments to confirm they exist and are really employed. “The DPSA and National Treasury were jointly overseeing a verification process in every department, with individual departments required to confirm the existence and employment status of all staff members,” Kekana said.
The checks have deadlines tied to this financial year, and by March 2026, numbers should match Treasury’s spending records. Buthelezi will keep reminding departments to stay on track. This sweep aims to save millions lost to fraud each year.
Better Protection for Whistleblowers and Redeploying Suspended Staff
Buthelezi highlighted the dangers whistleblowers face and said the government is improving ways to keep them safe. But he noted that protection often means big changes, like moving or getting a new identity, which some find hard. “Some do not really appreciate because we are social beings naturally,” he said, adding that quick prosecutions help by removing threats faster.
On suspended workers who stay on full pay for years, Buthelezi suggested moving them to low-risk roles instead of sending them home. “If a person commits an offence and is suspended, better, instead of sending that person home, put that person elsewhere,” he said. This saves money while keeping the process fair.

Building Ethics: New Tools and Training for Departments

Chief Director Dr Solomon Vermark explained efforts to build stronger ethics in government. The department partnered with the National School of Government to create the Ethics Maturity Model (EMMA), a tool that helps departments check and fix ethics risks. Piloted in places like IPID, SAPS, and Gauteng departments, it will roll out next year.
Vermark said the goal is to make ethics part of everyday work, preventing corruption before it starts. “The aim was to ensure ethics became embedded in departments so that government did ‘the preventative work’ rather than intervening only once corruption was entrenched,” he noted.

A Renewed Promise: Integrity as the Standard

Buthelezi wrapped up by calling the reforms a “renewed contract of trust” with South Africans. He promised to uproot corruption wherever it hides, whether in local offices or global networks. “The fight against corruption is a long-term national commitment requiring consistency, vigilance and collective ownership,” he said.

He thanked people for demanding better and said these steps commit to a future where integrity is normal, accountability is sure, and South Africans can live with honour. As the country marks International Anti-Corruption Day, these reforms offer hope for a cleaner, more trusted government. For more details, visit the DPSA website.

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Public Service Department

Public Service Department Unveils Bold Anti-Corruption Reforms: Lifestyle Audits, Ghost Worker Crackdown, and Central Offender Register Launched on International Anti-Corruption Day

Public Service Department

Building Ethics: New Tools and Training for Departments

A Renewed Promise: Integrity as the Standard

centralnewsza #news #politics #ngwathe #feziledabi #freestate

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