Media statement: SOS Coalition Disappointed by the Use of AI in Draft AI Policy

The SOS Coalition is deeply disappointed by the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies’ use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the drafting of the recently released AI policy. It is both concerning and ironic that a policy intended to safeguard against unethical and irresponsible use of AI appears itself to have been developed without the necessary ethical standards and oversight.

While we acknowledge that the policy has since been withdrawn, it should never have been made public without proper due diligence and verification processes. The inclusion of incorrect references and apparent AI-generated inaccuracies undermines public trust and raises serious concerns about the credibility and integrity of this and other policy development processes run by the Department.

The negative implications for South Africa’s policy development processes, as well as the damage to its global credibility and oversight standards, are significant and will take considerable time and effort to reverse.

This is not an isolated concern, it reflects deeper systematic challenges within the Department which are evident in ongoing failures surrounding the Broadcasting Digital Migration (BDM) programme. The flawed implementation of BDM, particularly the inadequate rollout of set-top boxes (STBs) which continues to place millions of South Africans at risk of being excluded from access to television – depicted this problem. 

These concerns have now been further compounded by reports that the BDM Steering Committee is on the verge of collapse, creating additional instability in the sector. Taken together, these developments raise broader questions about the credibility, oversight, and integrity of the Department’s policy processes. This is particularly troubling in light of court judgments, which emphasised the importance of meaningful consultation with industry stakeholders in the BDM process, and the analogue switch-off (ASO) date.

Government has a responsibility to lead by example in the ethical and accountable use of AI tools. Policies that will shape the country’s digital future must be developed through transparent and credible processes.

The Department has a lot of work to try and restore credibility and trust in its policy making processes and the starting point would be to strengthen internal capacity and oversight mechanisms to prevent similar failures. Such internal bolstering will not only benefit policy development but also project implementation, in particular the BDM programme. 

The SOS Coalition urges government to act ethically and uphold professional standards in policy-making processes. 

For media inquiries contact: 

Uyanda Siyotula

SOS National Coordinator 

060 691 2462 / natcoord@soscoalition.org.za