On 2 April 2026, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, announced that Cabinet had approved the publication of the draft South Africa AI policy (Draft AI Policy) for public comment. After the Draft AI Policy is published in the Government Gazette, interested parties will have 60 days to submit written comments.
The Draft AI Policy builds on the strategies and aims of the 2024 National AI Policy Framework that establishes foundational principles for the responsible use and deployment of AI across a range of sectors, while focusing on six key pillars, namely:
- talent, capacity and skills development to build a sustainable and competitive AI talent pool;
- AI’s role in job creation and as a driver of inclusive economic participation by advancing technological capabilities and driving innovation;
- responsible governance to guard against abusive AI practices and mitigate threats to individuals, institutions and infrastructure;
- ethical and inclusive AI development and deployment underpinned by principles of fairness, transparency, accountability, inclusivity, confidentiality, human autonomy, reliability and accountability;
- cultural preservation and international integration which aligns the use of AI with global ethical standards and societal values; and
- human-centred deployment to ensure meaningful human oversight in critical AI-driven decision-making processes.
The key pillars will each be supported by strategic building blocks and policy interventions. The Draft AI Policy contemplates that regulation will be implemented through a phased approach that will be applied on a sector-by-sector basis and enforced through co-operation between existing regulators.
Once finalised, the AI Policy will be a significant step towards the development of formal AI regulation in South Africa.
