Technology 27 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
South Africa Scraps Draft AI Policy Over Fake AI-Generated Citations
South Africa has pulled its initial national AI policy draft after discovering bogus references that seemed AI-produced. Communications Minister Solly Malatsi stressed the need for human oversight and promised accountability. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/south-africa-withdraws-ai-policy-due-to-fake-ai-generated-sources-5438250
South Africa’s government has retracted its first draft of a national AI policy following the discovery of fabricated sources in the references, likely generated by AI without checks.
Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi described the incident as a serious breach of the document’s credibility. ‘The most plausible explanation is that AI-generated citations were included without proper verification. This should not have happened,’ he stated on X.
The policy, released earlier this month for public input, aimed to make South Africa a leader in AI across Africa. It proposed creating bodies like a National AI Commission, an AI Ethics Board, and an AI Regulatory Authority, alongside incentives such as tax breaks and grants for private sector involvement.
Malatsi announced consequences for those behind the draft and underscored the importance of human supervision in AI use. No timeline was given for a revised policy.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)