Withdrawal of Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy

Posted 10 April 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Communications & Digital Technologies

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The Minister of Communications & Digital Technologies has withdrawn the draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy shortly after its publication for public comment.

The Department of Communications & Digital Technologies had initially gazetted the draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy for public input, with a deadline of 10 June 2026. However, on 26 April 2026, Minister Solly Malatsi announced the withdrawal of the document. The decision followed the discovery that the document’s reference list contained various fictitious sources.

The draft policy was intended to provide a framework for the responsible regulation and adoption of AI in South Africa. It followed a policy development process that included a national government summit in April 2024 and the release of a draft national policy framework in August 2024. The proposed policy sought to address sector-specific risk profiles through a phased implementation approach.

Core Objectives of the Proposed Framework

  • Strengthening the state’s capacity to regulate AI technologies and adopt them responsibly.
  • Promoting local innovation and economic growth through AI adoption.
  • Addressing job creation and the development of AI-related skills.
  • Managing ethical considerations and risk profiles across different economic sectors.

While the draft policy remained featured on the department’s website under ‘popular topics’ at the time of the Minister’s announcement, the withdrawal effectively halts the current public consultation process until a corrected version is issued. No official media statement had been posted to the department’s website at the time of reporting, though the withdrawal was confirmed via other government communication channels.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Professional practitioners should disregard the specific provisions of the withdrawn draft and pause any preparation of formal submissions until a revised version is gazetted.
  • For your business: Firms should note that the regulatory timeline for AI governance has been delayed; internal AI compliance strategies should remain flexible as the department rectifies the policy document.
  • For your clients: Advise clients in the technology and digital sectors that the 10 June 2026 deadline for comments is no longer in effect and that a new consultation period will likely be announced in due course.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/artificial-intelligence-draft-policy-gazetted-for-public-comment

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