Minister Solly Malatsi yesterday officially informed the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies about his decision to pull the plug on South Africa’s draft National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy.
As a result, the minister also requested time before Parliament’s oversight committee to explain the events that resulted in the withdrawal of the policy, once an internal investigation had been completed.
The department claims this communication was sent directly to the oversight committee’s chair in advance of a public notice from the ANC Study Group on Communications and Digital Technologies that called for the minister to appear in front of the oversight committee at the earliest opportunity.
Furore erupted at the weekend when it emerged that South Africa’s framework for AI had AI-generated fictitious sources in the 67 references cited in the policy document.
News24 uncovered that reference to fake research was included in the country’s draft National AI Policy, which was presented for public comment. The news outlet stated that several of the academic journals cited in the policy document were “completely fictitious”.
Malatsi, on Sunday, confirmed the news report’s findings, following internal questioning about the policy’s reference list. This prompted his decision to withdraw the document, as the integrity and credibility of the draft policy had been compromised.
The ANC Study Group on Communications and Digital Technologies yesterday responded to the news, saying Malatsi must “immediately appear” before the portfolio committee to account for the now-withdrawn policy.
In the statement, signed by ANC MP and whip of the study group Shaik Subrathie, the party also seeks a review of the officials responsible for the drafting and quality assurance of the document, as well as whether consequence management measures have been initiated.
In response to the ITWeb article published today, the ministry shared communication sent to the portfolio committee’s chairperson ANC MP Khusela Sangoni-Diko, dated 28 April, in which the minister notes the discovery of the use of fictitious references in the drafting of the policy as the reason behind the withdrawal.
He adds that he has instructed the director-general to conduct a full investigation into the circumstances that’s led to the “unacceptable occurrence”, emphasising the importance of holding the department’s officials to the highest ethical and professional standards.
Malatsi also assures the committee that the department plans to implement appropriate consequence management for those that have been found to fail in their duties.
“I believe that it would be in the public interest for the department to account to the portfolio committee and Parliament to provide a transparent explanation of the outcomes of this investigation and to explain the next steps for the draft National AI Policy.
“As such, I would like to request an audience with the committee once the investigation and corrective plan have been finalised.”
Malatsi’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies is charged with leading SA’s digital transformation through policy and a regulatory environment.
With AI infiltrating almost every industry, policymakers across the global community have increasingly focused on its regulation. This, to ensure AI is created responsibly and ethically from the start, to ensure citizens, businesses and governments are protected from some of the potential AI risks.
Key among the areas the minister’s department is responsible for is making sure South Africa has a national AI policy. As a result, earlier this month, Cabinet approved the publication of the draft South Africa AI Policy for public comment, with the policy then expected to be implemented in the 2027/28 financial year.
On 10 April, the draft policy was published, which marked the opening of a 60-day public consultation period, with written input invited by 10 June.
Share
