South Africans following developments in digital policy have been informed that the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy has been withdrawn after fictitious references were identified in its source list, reports Cape {town} Etc.
Raising concerns over verification processes within the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies. The draft had been open for public comment before the withdrawal decision.
Statement on the integrity of the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy
Following revelations that the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy published for public comment contains various fictitious sources in its reference list, we initiated internal questions…
— SollyMalatsi (@SollyMalatsi) April 26, 2026
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi confirmed internal checks verified the issue and said the credibility of the draft had been undermined. The department initiated a review after inconsistencies were flagged in the reference documentation said the department.
‘South Africans deserve better,’ Malatsi said in a statement on X. He added that the department failed to meet required standards and indicated that AI-generated citations may have been included without proper verification.
He described the lapse as unacceptable and stressed need for human oversight.‘There will be consequence management for those responsible for drafting and quality assurance,’ he said.
The findings show the growing importance of rigorous oversight in emerging AI use within government processes.
Officials say the withdrawal reflects a commitment to strengthen quality assurance mechanisms and restore confidence in South Africa’s digital policy development framework.
It follows a pledge for consequence management and improved verification standards across departments.
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