Godongwana criticises delays in South Africa’s digital and AI policy

Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana has criticised the government’s slow delivery on technology policy, pointing to the long-delayed digital television migration programme and the absence of a final national artificial-intelligence strategy.

Godongwana made the remarks at the Development Bank of Southern Africa’s annual results presentation in Johannesburg on Monday.

He said repeated workshops, summits and road maps had taken the place of implementation. His comments were reported by TechCentral from the event.

Digital migration remains incomplete

South Africa’s analogue television switch-off has missed its original December 2010 deadline by more than 15 years. Five provinces have completed the switch, but Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and Eastern Cape have not.

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies told Parliament in August that a final switch-off date would be considered after stakeholder engagements had been completed.

Godongwana also raised the government’s work on artificial intelligence. South Africa published a draft national AI policy in April, but Communications Minister Solly Malatsi withdrew it 16 days later after fabricated sources were found in its reference list.

A revised draft is expected to go to Cabinet in November, with public consultation planned for January 2027.

Godongwana compared South Africa’s progress with Rwanda, which the World Bank lists as the only one of 25 low-income countries with a dedicated national AI strategy. The World Bank’s 2026 development report recorded more than 80 countries with national AI strategies by June.

The finance minister said responsibility for technology policy was divided across departments, including separate work on cybersecurity and other digital programmes.

The DBSA presentation also reported a 47% rise in net profit to R7.8 billion for the 2026 financial year. The development bank recorded total assets of R130.5 billion and disbursements of R20.7 billion against a R15.5 billion target.