Table of Contents

Question 1 (25 Marks)

With reference to the case study:

1.1 Suggest a research title, identify and state the research problems. (15
Marks)

1.2 Formulate FIVE (5) objectives and FIVE (5) research questions. (10
Marks)

Question 2 (25 Marks)

Discuss the data collection and analysis process you would follow according
to the research questions provided in order to achieve the objectives of the
study.

Question 3 (25 Marks)

Based on the information provided in the case study, write FOUR (4)
paragraphs of literature review using recent sources relevant to the topic.

Question 4 (25 Marks)

With reference to case study, critically evaluate the importance of following
the ethical principles and the approach you will use to conduct ethical
research.

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Question 1

1.1

Research Topic: An examination of fraudulent and other irregularities at

Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority.

Research Problem

The PPRA's core responsibilities include overseeing the commercial activities

of property practitioners, promoting sector transformation, and protecting
consumers. In February, it took over from the Estate Agency Affairs Board.
After a whistleblower's claims against the Property Practitioners Regulatory
Authority's (PPRA) suspended chief executive, Mamodupi Mohlala, a forensic
investigation of the organization showed incompetent management,
fraudulent appointments, and pension fund misappropriation.

Evidence of procurement process violations and service provider complicity

was discovered, as well as false representation regarding the hiring of service
providers where goods were purchased but not delivered, violations of the
Pension Fund Act, and irregular hiring of staff, some of whom did not meet the
minimum qualification standards. Mohlala suspended indefinitely. PPRA was
unable to adequately carry out its mission due to corruption, in which several
personnel and upper management were implicated. The goal of this study is
to look into corruption at the Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority.

1.2

Research Objectives

1. To determine how PPRA violated pension fund legislation and rules.

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2. To investigate the effects of irregular employee appointments and the
appointment of unqualified individuals at PPRA.
3. To investigate how the PPRA circumvented procurement processes,
resulting in irregular, unproductive, and wasteful expenditure and fraud.

4. To investigate the impact of fraudulent and other irregular actions on the

PPRA's mandate.

5. To propose recommendations on how PPRA can eradicate fraud and other

illegal activities.

Research Questions

1.How did the PPRA violate pension fund legislation and rules?

2.What were the consequences of irregular staff appointments and the

appointment of people who were not qualified at PPRA?

3.How did the PPRA circumvent procurement processes, resulting in irregular,

unproductive, and wasteful spending and fraud?

4.How did fraudulent and other irregular acts affect the PPRA's mandate?

5.What suggestions can the PPRA make to eradicate fraud and other illegal
activities?

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Question 2

2.1 Research Approach

Research methodology is a strategy and process that progresses from

general hypothesis to specific techniques for gathering, analyzing and
interpreting data. As result, the type of research problem being addressed
(Chetty, 2016) determines it. The desire to learn why Property Practitioners
Regulatory Authority (PPRA) officials commit fraud and other illegal activities
created the opportunity for the research design and methodology utilized as
the most appropriate to learn more about fraud and other illegal activities.
Therefore it was necessary to use a comprehensive applicable research
design to explore the research problem. In this section the research design
that will be used, the research methodology, the measures to ensure
trustworthiness, ethical considerations, the challenges in conducting the
research will be discussed.

2.2 Research Philosophy

A research philosophy is a set of beliefs on how to gather, analyze, and apply

evidence about a phenomenon (Chetty, 2016). Research philosophy that was
used in this study is interpretivism. In this study, interpretivism, emphasizes
how humans are unique from natural phenomena because they give things
meaning. The goal of interpretivist work is to create new, better
representations of social situations and circumstances (Saunders et al.,
2019). The goal of using interpretivism in this study will be to blend the
participants' varied viewpoints and interests to extract their true realities from
the interviews.

2.3 Research Design

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The framework of market research methodologies and approaches that a
researcher selects is referred to as the research design. The design that the
researchers selected enables them to employ the methodologies that are
appropriate for the study and to set up their investigations successfully going
forward (Frost & Sullivan, 2021).

2.3.1 Types of Research Design

 Exploratory research is a methodology strategy that looks at research

questions that have not been thoroughly examined before. Exploratory
research frequently has a qualitative focus. However, a study with a
sizable sample size that is exploratory in nature might also be
quantitative. Due of its adaptable and open-ended nature, it is also
sometimes referred to as interpretive research or a grounded theory
method (George, 2022).

 Descriptive Research: is used to learn about the phenomena's current

state and to describe, "What exists" in terms of the conditions or
variables in a situation.” (Sacred Hart University Library, 2020).

 Explanatory Research: uses the limited knowledge that is available to

investigate why something occurs. It can assist you in deepening your
understanding of a subject, figuring out how or why a specific
phenomenon is occurring, and making predictions about the future
(George & Merkus, 2021).

This study will make use of exploratory research because it is inexpensive

and aids in the establishment of a research foundation, which can lead to
additional research. It will enable the researcher to determine whether the
topic is worth investing time and resources in and pursuing at an early stage.

2.4 Research Strategy

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The methodological plan of action that guides a researcher’s cognitive
process is referred to as a research strategy. It makes it possible for a
researcher to carry out their research methodically and on time (Walia&
Chetty, 2020). The primary goal is to introduce the key elements of the
research, such as the research topic, areas of attention, major design and
lastly, the research methodologies (Walia & Chetty, 2020). A researcher’s
choice of data-gathering method and analysis technique is aided by their
study approach. Therefore, it is crucial to pick the appropriate approach when
performing the research (Walia & Chetty, 2020). The research strategy for this
study is interviews. They aid in the explanation, improvement of
understanding, and investigation of fraudulent and other illegal activities at
PPRA. To gather comprehensive information, open-ended interview questions
will be used.

2.5 Target Population and Sampling

A population's number, structure, growth, distribution, and dispersal are all
studied in population research, a scientific field of study. The family planning
research, in contrast, explores contraception, side effects, follow-up, and so
on (iedunote, 2022).

Staff members at Property Practitioners Regulatory Authority made up the

intended participants sample for this study, which included twelve people.
Taking a sample from a predetermined sampling frame or the entire
population is referred to as sampling (Taherdoost, 2016, p. 20).

2.5.1 Kinds of Sampling

According to Taherdoost (2016: 20), sampling can be used to draw

conclusions about a population or to draw generalizations about an existing
theory. This essentially depends on the sampling method you choose.
 Probability Sampling
Quantitative research uses probability sampling, which is described as
"means that each item in the population has an equal chance of being
included in the sample" (Taherdoost, 2016:20).

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  Simple Random- Every instance in the population has an equal chance
of being included in the sample according to the simple random sample
(Taherdoost, 2016:21).
 Stratified Random- The “business size, gender or occupation” may
decide these divisions. “Stratified sampling is where the population is
divided into strata (or subgroups) and a random sampling is selected
from each group” (Taherdoost (2016:21).
 Cluster Sampling- "is the division of the entire population into clusters
or groupings”. Then, a random sample is drawn from each of these
clusters, and each of them is included in the final sample (Taherdoost,
2016:21).
 Systematic Sampling- The benefit of this sampling strategy is its
simplicity. It is defined as “where every nth case following a random
start is selected" (Taherdoost, 2016:21).
 Multistage Sampling- is a procedure that uses a step-by-step approach
to get from a broad to a narrow sample (Taherdoost, 2016:21).

 Non-probability Sampling
Non-probability sampling that applies to qualitative research
 Quota Sampling- is a non-random sampling method in which
participants are chosen based on specified traits so that the overall
sample will have the same distribution of traits as the larger population”
(Taherdoost, 2016: 22).
 Snowball Sampling- “is a non-random sampling technique that makes
use of a few cases to help persuade more cases to participate in the
study, hence expanding the sample size” (Taherdoost, 2016:22).
 Judgment Sampling- with judgment sampling, "certain places, people,
or events are purposely selected to provide significant information that
cannot be gleaned from other alternatives" (Taherdoost, 2016: 22).
 Convenience Sampling- "is choosing participants because they are
frequently and conveniently accessible” ... Many research difficulties
can be solved with the aid of convenience sampling (Taherdoost,
2016:22).Convenience sampling was used in this study as it allowed

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 for the collection of specific feedback from individual perspectives.
When using this method, provincial government personnel were
approached about corruption and data was collected in a very short
period of time.

2.5.2 Sample Size

12 PPRA staff members from across all the departments will be interviewed.

2.6 Research Instrument

The research instrument which will be used in this study allows for semi-
structured interviews. Open-ended questions will enable survey participants to
provide more detail, providing the researcher with more insightful and
contextual feedback. It will enabled the researcher to better understand the
respondent's genuine thoughts and feelings regarding the survey topic.

2.7 Pilot Study

A solid research study with an appropriate experimental design and precise
execution is necessary to produce high-quality results. It might be very helpful
for this aim to evaluate its feasibility prior to carrying out the main study. A
pilot study, which is typically a smaller-scale study that aids in planning and
modifying the major study, is the initial step of the complete research
methodology (Arnold D.M et al, 2009). The pilot study is to assist the
researcher in having a better understanding of how to conduct the research
study in the best way possible. In this study, two participants will be targeted
for the pilot study, through interview questions.

In terms of age, gender, education, and socioeconomic (income) position, 2

respondents for the pilot will be as comparable to those who participated in
the actual survey as practicable

2.8 Validity and Reliability

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Gunawan (2015, p.4) states that “trustworthiness has been further divided into
credibility, which corresponds roughly with the positivist concept of internal
validity; dependability, which relates more to reliability; transferability, which is
a form of external validity; and confirmability, which is largely an issue of
presentation”.
Criteria for Trustworthiness:
 Credibility – Credibility is used by persistent observations throughout
the study to ensure that the findings were reliable and that the reader is
confident with the findings. Procedures that will be utilized to boost the
credibility of the research include triangulation, extended engagement
with data, persistent observation, negative case analysis, member
checks, and referential adequacy.
 Transferability – The study allows the reader to apply and transfer the
findings from the study to their own reality and personal settings,
(Gunawan 2015).
 Dependability – refers to the consistency of the processes and
analysis used in the study. This study ensures that constant reference
to the standards of the research design chosen and ensure that they
are met. The exact techniques utilized for data collection, analysis, and
interpretation will be tracked to ensure dependability and sufficient
contextual information will be provided about each component, allowing
the study to be theoretically repeated by other researchers and
producing consistent results.
 Confirmability – The criteria focus on ensuring that the researcher is
objective throughout the data collection process.

2.9 Data Analysis

Interviews, in addition to other communicative language, will be employed as

a source of information for this study. Thematic analysis is used to identify
and develop themes from data, such as patterns observed in the data.
Thematic analysis is a strategy for evaluating qualitative data. It usually refers
to a group of texts, such as an interview or a transcript. The researcher
meticulously examines the data in order to identify reoccurring themes,

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subjects, concepts, and meanings (Caulfield, J 2019). Thematic analysis will
be used in this study to establish and develop themes from data, such as
patterns observed in the data.

Question 3

Literature Review

The Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act (PCCAA) of South

Africa criminalizes corruption (ProEthics. 2015). According to Bernstein and

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Shaw, corruption is defined as "where an individual either directly or indirectly
receives or gives an intention to receive a form of gratitude from another
individual or offers or approves to provide a gratitude to some other individual
for his or her benefit or for another, and the offering or acceptance is
conducted in order to influence the other party to perform in an inappropriate
way, in the performance of that individual's duty" (Bernstein, D., & Shaw, N.
2022). South Africa, as a member of the New Partnership for Africa's
Development (NEPAD), prescribes to its strategic priorities, which include, but
are not limited to, political, economic, and corporate governance ideals (Koma
S. 2009). Weak corporate governance, which leads to corruption with no
visible and decisive consequences, is currently one of the concerns
dominating the news and public discourse in South Africa and worldwide.

In South Africa, public procurement has been granted constitutional standing

and is recognized as a tool of rectifying previous discriminatory policies and
practices (Bolton 2006:193). Procurement is also crucial to South Africa's
government service delivery system (Ambe & Badenhorst-Weiss 2012:242).
Procurement is the acquisition of goods and services at the lowest total cost
of ownership possible, in the correct quantity and quality, at the right time and
in the right place, often through a contract (Ababio et al. 2008:10). Public
procurement, on the other hand, refers to the government's purchase of
products and services required to carry out its tasks, such as service delivery
(Moeti 2014:141). Notwithstanding reform initiatives in public procurement as
a strategic instrument, there are issues in South African public procurement
practices, such as noncompliance with the procurement regulatory framework
and tender irregularities. Some of the irregularities related with public sector
procurement include corruption, ineptitude, and neglect by public workers
(Ambe & Badenhorst-Weiss 2012:243). To support this, the South African
government spent R26.4 billion in 2010 on activities that violated laws and
regulations, including corruption (Smart Procurement 2011). Research
suggests that a large portion of government funds end up in corrupt
operations, frequently through the procurement process.

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A number of governments have become more cognizant of the importance of
procurement as a vulnerable sector to mismanagement and corruption (Ambe
& Badenhorst-Weiss 2012:245). Most governments have resorted to using
their annual procurement plans as a possible issue solver as part of their
efforts to adopt a long-term and strategic view of their procurement demands
and management (Mahmood 2010:103). The South African government has
established the office of the chief procurement officer at the National Treasury
to address issues related to government procurement, among other things
(Gordhan 2014:28). Aside from a lack of capacity to perform essential
services, a lack of financial control systems, and a lack of political stability,
corruption and maladministration are two of the most serious difficulties
confronting the South African public sector, particularly municipalities
(Thornhill 2006:322–323). Madumo (2012:50) agrees that corruption and
maladministration exist in all levels of government, particularly at the
municipal level. Yet, this is also linked to the appointment of top administrative
personnel, which is frequently influenced by political affiliation with a specific
ruling party in that municipality or province (Reddy, Naidoo & Pillay 2005:49–
50)

Most of the time, the aforementioned corruption occurs during the

procurement of products and services. Prices are either exaggerated,
contracts are awarded to friends or family, tenders are not posted, bid
committees are not properly constituted, or panel members failed to declare
their interest prior to the adjudication committee meeting. According to Moeti
(2014), most government fraud and corruption is caused by poor procurement
management and oversight. To that aim, one could argue that the link
between public sector procurement and corruption is unavoidable. It appears
that one cannot live without the other. In the context of South Africa, the two
are linked. This is frequently related with the fact that supply chain
management (SCM), of which procurement is a component, has been
decentralized to individual provinces, municipalities, and governmental
institutions, who may lack the necessary skills and capacity. the fact that
supply chain management (SCM) (of which procurement is a component) has

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been decentralized to various provinces, municipalities, and public bodies that
may lack the necessary skills and capacity

Question 4

Ethics - the moral principles that govern our acts and behaviors - influences
our decisions and shapes our daily life. Ethics is also essential in the conduct
of research, from project design to data collection and analysis, and finally to
the publication and transmission of findings and recommendations.

Adopting ethical standards and principles has a number of advantages for

both researchers and participants. For starters, they contribute to the general
goals of research, such as the pursuit of knowledge and the desire to avoid
error. Second, ethics promotes principles that are essential for effective
collaboration, such as respect, trust, and accountability. Finally, they play a
vital role in holding academics accountable to societies and communities,
which increases public trust and support for research.

Research ethics are moral standards that guide researchers in doing and
reporting research without dishonesty or the purpose to hurt study participants
or members of society as a whole, whether consciously or inadvertently.
Following ethical norms for doing and reporting research is critical for
establishing the validity of your findings.

To safeguard the safety of study participants, the public at large, and the
researcher himself/herself, a researcher must follow ethical criteria imposed
by regulatory committees. Following ethical criteria will ensure that the
research is authentic and error-free, giving the researcher credibility and
public support. While presenting his or her findings in the publication, the
researcher must also follow ethical rules. This ensures that the researcher's
work is free of plagiarism and that no unconfirmed data reaches the
publication's viewers. Aside from that, research ethics instills a sense of
responsibility in researchers and makes it simple to assign blame in cases of
misconduct.

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Research Ethics

Ensuring participants gave informed consent

This key consideration is “the process of obtaining Consent consists of the

following: consent should be given freely (voluntary), subjects should
understand what is being asked of them, and involved persons must be
competent to consent” (Arifin, 2018: 30). Participants in the study were
thoroughly informed of the objectives of the study before and during the
interviews. This ensured that the participants are fully informed and had
knowledge of what will be asked of them for the study and that it is voluntary,
and consent from each participant was obtained by each participant through
signing before interviews were conducted.

Ensuring no harm comes to participants

This crucial factor necessitated the researcher to make sure that the
participants were safeguarded from any kind of physical or psychological
harm. Each participant felt safe, comfortable, and free from danger during the
interviews since they were taking place in settings that are safe and under
supervision.

Ensuring confidentiality and anonymity

The study took ethics into account. For instance, the participants were
safeguarded by being given the assurance that the secrecy of their names is
paramount and by being given the choice of whether to engage in the study or
not. They were reassured that taking part in the study would not harm them in
any way, and it was designed to benefit the province and the country in
general.

Ensuring that permission is obtained

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Prior to conducting the study and engaging in any engagement with the
participant, the researcher made sure that he had obtained consent from
them. The organization had been notified of the study's goals and given
permission to conduct interviews with possible participants within the
organization through a letter asking permission to perform the study.

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