Picture: North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi
By OBAKENG MAJE
25 March 2026- The North West Department of Education said since 2003, staff debt has accumulated largely due to manual processes involved in submitting termination documents from various districts. The department said many of these areas are remote and rural, which has caused delays in submitting critical documentation.
This comes after a backlash that the North West Department of Education has paid ghost employees over R100 million.
The North West MEC for Education, Viola Motsumi said as a result, some employees continued to receive salary payments after their termination, leading to overpayments.
Motsumi further said salaries are processed in advance around the 15th or 24th of each month, which further contributes to the possibility of overpayments when terminations are not processed in time.
“The department emphasizes that these cases do not involve ghost employees. All affected individuals were legitimately employed by the department. Over the past three years, the department has made significant progress in addressing this issue by tracing affected employees and requiring them to sign Acknowledgement of Debt (AOD) forms to facilitate repayment.
“To date, approximately R24 million has been identified for recovery across 2128 cases. The department has implemented measures to address the root causes of the problem,” she said.
Motsumi added that the department has introduced internal controls, including an electronic system known as Salary Attendance Leave and Termination (SALT). She said this system has significantly reduced salary overpayments linked to delayed terminations.
“It updates Human Resources in real time and sends email notifications when an employee exits, enabling immediate processing on PERSAL. The department has also trained officials on the system to ensure its effective use. Since its implementation, there has been a noticeable reduction in staff debt.
“Furthermore, investigations into root causes and the implementation of consequence management measures are ongoing. To date, 24 disciplinary letters and 64 warning letters have been issued,” said Motsumi.
She said her department remains committed to strengthening internal controls and improving administrative processes.
The Guardian 