Withdrawal of Draft National AI Policy

Posted 05 May 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Justice

Brought to you by SA Accounting Academy: The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies has formally withdrawn the Draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy originally released for public comment.

In terms of an announcement by Minister Solly Malatsi in late April 2026, the Draft National AI Policy has been retracted from the public domain. The policy had previously been approved by Cabinet on 25 March 2026 and was subject to a public comment deadline of 10 June 2026. The withdrawal follows reports that the document contained “AI hallucinations,” including at least six fabricated academic citations out of 67 referenced sources, suggesting the policy was compiled using AI tools without sufficient human verification.

The Draft Policy was intended to establish a formal regulatory framework for the development and deployment of AI in South Africa. It proposed the establishment of several new regulatory and oversight entities, including:

  • A National AI Commission;
  • An AI Ethics Board;
  • An AI Insurance Superfund, modeled on the Road Accident Fund, to compensate citizens for AI-related harms;
  • An AI Ombudsperson; and
  • An AI Safety Institute.

The document was built upon the South Africa National Artificial Intelligence Policy Framework of August 2024 and incorporated 32 submissions received during that framework’s consultation period. The Minister indicated that the withdrawal is necessary to ensure the reliability and academic integrity of the nation’s digital regulatory foundation. Two officials from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) have been placed on precautionary suspension pending further investigation.

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

  • For yourself: Exercise heightened professional skepticism and due diligence when utilizing generative AI tools for legal research or the drafting of formal opinions, as this withdrawal underscores the risk of “hallucinations” in technical and regulatory documentation.
  • For your business: Suspend any internal compliance restructuring or budgetary allocations intended to align with the proposed AI Insurance Superfund or National AI Commission until a revised, verified policy is gazetted.
  • For your clients: Advise clients in the digital economy and technology sectors that the regulatory environment for AI remains in a state of flux, and the previous 10 June 2026 deadline for submissions is no longer applicable.

Click here to download the Draft AI Policy (Retracted)

Click here to download the Official Withdrawal Statement

Originally published at https://accountingacademy.co.za/news/read/draft-sa-national-ai-policy

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