Major efforts to enhance the accuracy of the provincial government’s payroll system; ensure that salaries are paid to officials appointed in line with approved organisational structures, and detect and prevent fraudulent transactions are continuing as planned.
A total of 60 000 employees from the Gauteng Department of Health, Gauteng Department of Finance, Office of the Premier, Gauteng Provincial Treasury and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development have had their fingerprint and identity numbers verified against the Home Affairs national population register. Once identity details of employees had been verified, bank account ownership was confirmed with the banking sector to ensure that there is a direct match with data in the payroll system.
The roll out of this biometric security project called Identity Verification Solution started in March this year. Its objective is to enhance the accuracy of the payroll system, match bank account details with authentic officials and detect and prevent fraudulent transactions. The verification process is simple and quick; it involves checking an employee’s fingerprints and identity numbers against the national population register, payroll system and the banks. This is done within two minutes.
Speaking during the debate on the Treasury’s 2012/13 Annual Report at Legislature yesterday, Finance MEC Mandla Nkomfe said the project is part of action plans emanating from audit outcomes and is also intended to detect and prevent fraud and corruption within the government system.
“We believe that some cases of fraud manifest themselves in payroll management processes and we want to eliminate these. We are confident that this and other measures that we are implementing as a matter of urgency will ensure that departments efficiently manage the human capital, maximise production and avoid over expenditure,” Nkomfe explained.
Provincial treasury officials are currently verifying employees other departments including the Department of Social Development, Department of Economic Development, Department of Infrastructure Development and the Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation. The rollout of the project to the remaining departments is expected to be completed by the end of this financial year.
This project has already resulted in savings for the provincial government. Actions have been taken against employees who have failed to present themselves for verification at their respective workplaces. Salaries have been stopped resulting in the following outcomes just in the month of June 2013.
“Investigations are currently underway into all employees who did not show up for verification and those with adverse results (No-match on fingerprint and ID number). Since the salaries of these employees have been stopped, the investigation is focusing on banking details and the appointment process on the organisational structure,” Nkomfe said
The provincial treasury will not hesitate to stop salaries of employees who fail to present themselves to be verified through this project.
“IVS is just one of many key projects that we have launched to deal decisively with fraud and corruption. Collectively, these initiatives indicate that we are committed to urgently work to prevent those who operate with impunity from continuing to pillage the resources that we should use to facilitate growth and development in this province,” Nkomfe added.
The Identity Verification Solution will not only support high quality of service delivery, but will effectively boost internal controls and assist the province in realising the objectives of clean government in line with Operation Clean Audit.
Enquiries:
John Sukazi
MEC Spokesperson
Cell: 0837724885
Email: john.sukazi@gauteng.gov.za
