Draft South Africa National Artificial Intelligence: requirements, deadlines and compliance actions
Draft South Africa National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
What is Draft South Africa National Artificial Intelligence?
Approved by Cabinet in March/April 2026 and gazetted for a 60-day comment period, the draft policy proposed guiding principles, institutional arrangements and implementation pathways for AI across the public and private sectors, building on the department's 2024 National AI Policy Framework. The Minister announced its withdrawal on 26 April 2026 after fictitious citations were found in its reference list, and the withdrawal was formally gazetted in June 2026.
Status note: The earlier South Africa National AI Policy Framework (Aug/Oct 2024, comments to 29 Nov 2024) is referenced in the gazette notice, but its DCDT page (dcdt.gov.za/sa-national-ai-policy-framework/...) now serves unrelated content, so it is not recorded as a separate entry. Withdrawal notice is signed 4 June 2026 and gazetted 12 June 2026.
Who does it apply to?
Scope is as set out in the official text linked below. Issued by Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT). Oversight: DCDT; Cabinet-approved draft published for public comment. Stated purpose: Set national principles, institutions and pathways for safe and inclusive AI adoption.
When do the requirements apply?
2026-04-26: Minister Malatsi announces withdrawal of the draft policy; 2026-06-12: Withdrawal gazetted (Notice 3978 of 2026, Gazette No. 54840)
Only the announcement or adoption date is recorded from the source; in-force and application dates are to be confirmed by a reviewer.
Official sources
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Draft South Africa National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
Government Gazette No. 54477, Notice 3880 of 2026 (DCDT) · 10 Apr 2026 · Tier 1 source
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Minister Malatsi announces withdrawal of the draft policy
Government Gazette No. 54477, Notice 3880 of 2026 (DCDT) · 26 Apr 2026 · Tier 1 source
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Withdrawal gazetted (Notice 3978 of 2026, Gazette No. 54840)
Government Gazette No. 54477, Notice 3880 of 2026 (DCDT) · 12 Jun 2026 · Tier 1 source
Change history
- — Withdrawal gazetted (Notice 3978 of 2026, Gazette No. 54840)
- — Minister Malatsi announces withdrawal of the draft policy
Record version 1: Imported from the source-backed legacy dataset (database/data/ai_policies.json); fields limited to what the official source page states. Reviewer to enrich scope, dates and obligations.. Full edit history is in the GitHub repository.
Informational only, not legal advice. Verify every claim against the linked official sources and consult qualified counsel before acting.