{"id":643767,"date":"2026-04-27T11:11:05","date_gmt":"2026-04-27T09:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/?p=643767"},"modified":"2026-04-28T09:00:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T07:00:56","slug":"i-am-sorry-it-should-not-have-happened-i-am-embarrassed-minister-solly-malatsi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mybroadband.co.za\/news\/government\/643767-i-am-sorry-it-should-not-have-happened-i-am-embarrassed-minister-solly-malatsi.html","title":{"rendered":"I am sorry. It should not have happened. I am embarrassed. \u2014 Minister Solly Malatsi"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Communications minister Solly Malatsi has publicly apologised for his department’s publication of the Draft National AI Policy, which included fabricated sources in its reference list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an interview with SABC News<\/a>, the minister described the situation as a massive embarrassment not only to his department but also to the national government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is an apology to South Africa. It should not have happened. This is a massive embarrassment to the department and the government,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It just exposes the irony inasmuch as we were in the process of developing a policy that will also have a package of guidelines around the responsible use of AI,” Malatsi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We fell foul of that. We fell short of that, and you know, as government, particularly as the executive authority, we have to take responsibility for the lack of robust oversight.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that what was meant to be a breakthrough moment for South Africa, in terms of policy, is now tainted by the massive failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We’ll make sure that there’s accountability internally in the department, and we will make sure that it gets subjected to much more rigorous oversight,” Malatsi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said his department would aim to restore the policy’s integrity before it is re-published for public comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister said that the error showcased the need for much more vigilant human intervention in the AI space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As a tool, it’s very useful. It can’t be a substitute for human responsibility,” Malatsi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The department’s use of AI-hallucinated research papers and journals in the Draft National AI Policy was exposed in a News24 report<\/a>, which found that several of the sources cited didn’t exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malatsi said that he “interfaced” with the policy and missed the fabrications, adding that he had been humbled as the minister responsible for the portfolio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I interfaced with the policy a lot of times in terms of reviewing it and subjecting it to scrutiny internally. We missed this,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malatsi published a statement on Sunday, 26 April 2026, withdrawing the Draft National AI Policy<\/a>, just over two weeks after it was published for public comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An unacceptable lapse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Solly Malatsi, Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In a statement announcing the withdrawal, Malatsi said the error was more than a technical issue; it was a failure that compromised the policy’s integrity and credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I am withdrawing the Draft National Artificial Intelligence Policy. South Africa deserves better,” the minister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies did not deliver on the standard that is acceptable for an institution entrusted with the role to lead South Africa’s digital policy environment.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He acknowledged that the most likely explanation was that AI-generated references were included in the document without proper verification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This unacceptable lapse proves why vigilant human oversight over the use of artificial intelligence is critical,” Malatsi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I want to reassure the country that we are treating this matter with the gravity it deserves. There will be consequence management for those responsible for drafting and quality assurance.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The minister published the Draft South African National Artificial Intelligence Policy<\/em> for public comment in the Government Gazette on 10 April 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It was approved by Cabinet on 25 March 2026 (combined with the Special Sitting of Cabinet on 1 April 2026),” the notice stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, President Cyril Ramaphosa and other members of his Cabinet gave the draft policy the thumbs up before its publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fake sources in the Draft South Africa National AI Policy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Activist Zackie Achmat (image credit: GroundUp)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On Friday, 24 April 2026, Article One wrote to Malatsi about the irregularities<\/a>, and the following day, News24 published an article revealing the inclusion of fabricated research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activist Zackie Achmat published part of Article One’s letter to Malatsi, which raised concerns about the use of fake sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Initial study of the policy has revealed that a number of sources cited in the policy do not in fact exist. I refer to the following six sources,” it said. The fictitious sources are as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n