Communications minister Solly Malatsi. Image: DCDT Communications minister Solly Malatsi has appointed an independent panel of AI researchers, lawyers and governance specialists to rebuild South Africa’s draft national AI policy, a document he was forced to withdraw last month after academic citations in its reference list turned out to have been fabricated by a generative…
On May 1, 2026, China opened its market to 53 African countries through a zero-tariff policy, a bold step that could redefine Africa’s economic future. The move signals a clear and strategic departure from the prevailing approach taken by many Western powers toward the continent. At its core, the policy eliminates trade barriers for a…
Communications minister Solly Malatsi. Image: DCDT Communications minister Solly Malatsi could be summoned to parliament to account for the AI-generated hallucinations that forced the embarrassing withdrawal of South Africa’s draft national AI policy. The ANC study group on communications & digital technologies late on Tuesday called for the minister to appear before parliament’s portfolio committee…
Department of Communications and Digital Technologies director-general Nonkqubela Jordan-Dyani. (Photograph by DCDT) The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has placed two unnamed officials on precautionary suspension with immediate effect, pending the ongoing investigation into the Draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy. This, after minister Solly Malatsi recently withdrew the draft policy from public…
Today is a great day. From today on, China will officially implement the zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, thereby charting a new chapter of the mutually beneficial China-Africa cooperation. This is the major upgrade of China’s preferential trade policies towards Africa. In December 2024, China granted zero-tariff treatment…
“There is no better mirror than a true friend,” says a popular African proverb This maxim is quite apt while assessing the long-existing China-Africa cooperation. This is because the partnership, which began more than seven decades ago, has been based on mutual respect and understanding. At the moment, China is having diplomatic relations with 53…
South Africa’s draft national AI policy is not the first hallucination-fuelled blunder of its kind – and it won’t be the last. But it does offer the department of communications & digital technologies an opportunity to redevelop the policy guided more by practical experience and less by abstract theory. Communications minister Solly Malatsi over the…
Communications minister Solly Malatsi. Photo: Lerato Sepotokele/DCDT Communications minister Solly Malatsi is facing calls from across the political divide to withdraw South Africa’s draft national artificial intelligence policy after News24 revealed at the weekend that the document contains at least six academic citations almost certainly fabricated by an AI tool. Update: The draft policy has…
Solly Malatsi, communications and digital technologies minister. Communications minister Solly Malatsi has decided to withdraw South Africa’s draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy, citing integrity as the reason behind the move. This, after a News24 report at the weekend uncovered fake and made-up research used to draft the country’s AI framework. The news outlet stated that several…
Solly Malatsi. Image: DCDT Communications minister Solly Malatsi has withdrawn South Africa’s draft National AI Policy following revelations that it contained fictitious academic references, in what appears to be a case of unverified AI-generated citations making their way into official government policy. In a statement issued on Sunday evening, Malatsi said the withdrawal was necessary…
