Abstract
This study aimed to identify and review key measures, procedures, policies, legislation, and stakeholders for effective anti-corruption risk measures in South Africa’s national public sphere. Corruption in South Africa has a long history across different political regimes and is a significant challenge to sustainable economic development and good governance. Despite numerous strategies to mitigate this risk, there is still a need to understand the negative and positive effects of these mitigation measures. The study adopted a qualitative research paradigm, grounded in an interpretive research philosophy, and used both primary and secondary data sources. The findings revealed the need to consider the sustainability, feasibility, relevance, and coherence of existing policies, laws, and structural arrangements. It also highlighted the need to revisit and strengthen existing laws pertaining to witness protection in South Africa, which has been viewed as a challenge in most anti-corruption risk activities. This study makes a valuable contribution by proposing a framework that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-corruption risk measures in the South African national public sphere. South Africa’s unique political, bureaucratic, and economic milieu offers a comprehensive discussion of corruption risks in this environment and illuminating the underlying variables that can fuel corruption and hinder the efficacy of anti-corruption efforts.
Keywords: anti-corruption; corruption; corruption risk; national public sphere; risk management; policy; legislation; South Africa.