South Africa AI policy official resigns after hallucination scandal

A South African communications department official has resigned five months after fabricated academic references forced the withdrawal of the nation’s draft artificial intelligence policy. The resignation follows a scandal in which AI-generated hallucinations were allegedly included in official government documentation, prompting disciplinary action against two staff members. While one official has departed, proceedings continue against the second employee involved in drafting the compromised text. The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies withdrew the policy document earlier this year after verifying that key citations did not exist. This episode underscores the operational risks of integrating generative AI into legislative processes without adequate verification protocols. Government spokespersons confirmed the resignation but declined to name the individual pending final administrative clearance. The incident has delayed South Africa’s national AI framework indefinitely as officials review internal vetting procedures for technical accuracy.