Recent reports claimed that the suspected bogus staff members are allegedly paid using records of former employees. 

In an interview with the SABC, Tlale Pholo (58) revealed that he thought his contract was discontinued after having worked as a casual municipal worker ten years ago. He was shocked, however, when he realised that he is still employed by the municipality.

“When I try to seek employment, I found out that I have a personnel number without my knowledge and now I cannot be employed because of it. Now everything is standing still as we speak because I cannot work anywhere. I once had a stroke because of this and my doctor told me not to take things at heart. I told him that I'm not working and someone is using my name to get a salary,” he said.

The SABC further revealed that Ditsobotla was placed under mandatory intervention this week due to financial challenges. This is mainly due to the bloated staff and allegations of bogus employees that have surfaced. This has since resulted in opposition parties represented in the municipal council calling for those responsible to be held accountable.

Municipal spokesperson, Pius Batsile, explained Lethoko's primary objective since taking office has been to restore political and administrative stability in the municipality, and significant progress has been made in this regard. He says Lethoko has laid a foundation and is now committed to addressing matters affecting service delivery, including tackling the issue of ghost workers.

“The municipality is in the process of implementing systems to ensure an accurate, fair, and legally compliant headcount of all municipal employees. This will be carried out in the coming weeks to identify and eliminate any instances of ghost workers on the payroll of the municipality. Mayor Lethoko has made it clear that there will be consequences for those found to have been remunerated without reporting for work, and that the full extent of the law will be utilised in these cases. The municipality is conducting a comprehensive skills audit to guarantee that all employees possess the necessary qualifications, skills, and experience for their appointed positions. This initiative is essential for bringing back high standards of service delivery and facilitating the recovery of the municipality,” Batsile said.

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