# AI rules in South Africa

South Africa has no AI policy or law in force after the Minister withdrew the draft National AI Policy in April 2026 over fictitious citations.

- **Approach:** Voluntary principles
- **Key bodies:** Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, Information Regulator
- **Last reviewed:** 4 Oct 2026

## Rules (1)
- [Draft National AI Policy (withdrawn)](https://wheresthe.ai/rule/za-draft-national-ai-policy-2026/index.md): Withdrawn, Strategy. Cabinet-approved draft policy (25 Mar / 1 Apr 2026) published for comment proposing risk-based safeguards for high-risk AI and new institutional arrangements. The Minister withdrew it on 26 Apr 2026 after it was found to contain fictitious, apparently AI-generated, references.

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Canonical page: https://wheresthe.ai/j/za/ · Not legal advice.