400 'high-risk' public works officials face lifestyle audits, says Macpherson
Presenting his budget vote in parliament on Wednesday, he said his department began in March 2025 to focus on the lifestyles of 400 officials in various divisions such as finance, ICT, procurement, property leases and other related projects.
The department of public works, which among others is responsible for managing property leases of other government departments, runs a budget of more than R7bn a year. But its procurement of property leases has often been mired in allegations of corruption and other financial irregularities in which some of its officials have been implicated.
Macpherson told MPs they were also clamping down on the 'ghost workers phenomenon' in his department.
'Trust in public institutions depends on the public's belief that we hold ourselves accountable for the work we do. One of these mechanisms is through lifestyle audits,' he said.
'On lifestyle audits, in 2022/23 we completed audits on 48 senior managers. We have now launched a wider process, focusing on 400 high-risk officials across finance, ICT, procurement, leases and projects.
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