IN CONVERSATION WITH TEBOGO MASHILOMPANE, National Leader of Forum for South Africa (FOSA).
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The Forum for South Africa has raised serious concerns following the
withdrawal of the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy by the
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi,
after it was discovered that the document contained fictitious or
unverified sources.
According to FOSA, while the withdrawal of the policy is seen as a
necessary corrective step, the incident reflects a significant failure
within the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.
The inclusion of AI-generated or unverified citations in a national
policy document is viewed as a breach of public trust and raises
concerns about the integrity of government drafting and quality
assurance processes.
FOSA has expressed alarm that such a critical policy document could
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have progressed through multiple stages of review without the
inaccuracies being detected. This has prompted questions regarding
internal oversight mechanisms, accountability, and the overall
competence within the department responsible for the policy.
FOSA has called for a full and transparent investigation into how the
errors occurred, as well as consequence management for officials
who may be responsible. The organisation has also recommended a
comprehensive review of all current and pending policy documents to
ensure similar issues are not present, alongside the establishment of
stricter guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in government
processes.
The incident has further highlighted broader concerns about the need
for South Africa to develop a credible and ethically grounded national
AI policy that ensures human oversight, accountability, and rigorous
verification in all state-related documentation.
withdrawal of the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy by the
Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi,
after it was discovered that the document contained fictitious or
unverified sources.
According to FOSA, while the withdrawal of the policy is seen as a
necessary corrective step, the incident reflects a significant failure
within the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies.
The inclusion of AI-generated or unverified citations in a national
policy document is viewed as a breach of public trust and raises
concerns about the integrity of government drafting and quality
assurance processes.
FOSA has expressed alarm that such a critical policy document could
11:10
have progressed through multiple stages of review without the
inaccuracies being detected. This has prompted questions regarding
internal oversight mechanisms, accountability, and the overall
competence within the department responsible for the policy.
FOSA has called for a full and transparent investigation into how the
errors occurred, as well as consequence management for officials
who may be responsible. The organisation has also recommended a
comprehensive review of all current and pending policy documents to
ensure similar issues are not present, alongside the establishment of
stricter guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in government
processes.
The incident has further highlighted broader concerns about the need
for South Africa to develop a credible and ethically grounded national
AI policy that ensures human oversight, accountability, and rigorous
verification in all state-related documentation.
