ISDCP also found there were over 610 000 undocumented pupils, both South African and foreigners.
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The Education Labour Relations Council called for eight provincial educational departments to probe more than 22 000 employee records that did not match government payroll data, raising the possibility fraudsters may be claiming salaries for “ghost” teachers.
The council’s verification exercise, known as Integrated School Data Collection Platform (ISDCP) using head count of personnel, was conducted across public schools covering more than 21 000 schools, approximately 11.7 million pupils and over 407 000 educators and education staff.
Besides anomalies in payroll data, it was also found there were over 610 000 undocumented pupils, both South African and foreigners.
The presentation to the parliamentary portfolio committee on basic education also identified serious infrastructure backlogs, including inadequate access to water, electricity, laboratories, and school facilities.
However, the report stressed the exercise was intended to identify anomalies and administrative weaknesses for further investigation, rather than to make findings of fraud or “ghost workers”.
Committee chair Khomotjo Maimela said the exercise was significant in addressing longstanding allegations regarding the existence of ghost teachers in the system.
MPs question Western Cape’s non-participation in the verification process
Committee members from different political parties raised concerns about the Western Cape’s nonparticipation in the verification process, saying this weakened the credibility and completeness of the national data.
But the department’s director-general, Hubert Mweli, said the Western Cape had requested additional time to obtain legal opinion before participating further.
The province was concerned about releasing employee and pupil data, fearing, among others, potential liabilities and compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia) and other regulatory requirements.
But MPs insisted the Western Cape issue should be pursued further, including consideration of legal and procedural mechanisms to ensure its full participation in future exercises.
Members highlighted the urgent need to address the high number of undocumented pupils, particularly undocumented South African children who face barriers in accessing social grants, examinations and certification.
The payment of ghost teachers is an old phenomenon because personnel who left the system often are not removed from the payroll and those shifted from their posts for various reasons, including disciplinary suspension, or even resignations, continue to be paid.
This is often due to the process neither being monitored, nor supervised.
The department said most flagged cases related to administrative inefficiencies rather than confirmed fraud, including delays in processing resignations, retirements, and transfers.
Four workstreams were established to address issues relating to human resources and payroll systems, undocumented pupils, foreign national compliance and school infrastructure, it said.
The committee said it would take up the issue of undocumented pupils with the department of home affairs and coordinate with the home affairs portfolio committee on the matter.
