The Chairperson of South Africa's Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, Ms Khusela Sangoni Diko, will deliver the keynote address at the Prosus and Naspers AI Governance and Policy Symposium on Wednesday, 29 July 2026. The speech, set for 09:00 at the JSE in Sandton, provides a direct signal of how government intends to shape the rules around artificial intelligence - a development that will directly affect corporate messaging, public trust, and regulatory compliance for communications professionals.
Ms Diko's address is themed "AI Governance, Public Trust and National Competitiveness" and will focus on building a trusted, inclusive and accountable AI ecosystem. The committee's media officer, Mr Justice Molafo, confirmed the event brings together leaders from government, regulatory bodies, business, academia, the legal profession and the technology sector.
From policy aspiration to practical implementation
The symposium aims to move responsible AI governance from written policy to real-world application. Organisers intend to use evidence-based dialogue, shared knowledge and hands-on governance experiences to inform South Africa's evolving AI framework. The event is a collaboration between Prosus, a global consumer internet investor headquartered in Amsterdam, and its parent company Naspers, the South African multinational.
Prosus was established by Naspers in 2019 and lists its international internet assets on the Amsterdam stock exchange. The Johannesburg symposium draws on this corporate expertise to examine how AI governance can be made concrete and enforceable.
Event details
The session will take place at the JSE, Gwen Lane, Sandton, starting at 09:00. Media can contact Mr Justice Molafo on 081 424 7481 or at jmolafo@parliament.gov.za for additional information.
Why this matters for PR and Communications professionals
The keynote puts government's AI governance priorities on the public record. For professionals shaping corporate narratives, the emphasis on public trust and accountability will soon translate into stakeholder expectations, investor questions, and regulatory scrutiny. The language used tomorrow - especially around inclusive and accountable AI - will likely recur in future policy briefs and media cycles.
Communicators who work in AI for PR & Communications will need to align their messaging with the principles Diko outlines. Likewise, the address by a parliamentary committee chairperson offers a window into AI for Government - the priorities and red lines that will shape public sector procurement and compliance. Tracking these signals now helps teams prepare for the questions that clients, boards and journalists will ask once the governance framework hardens.
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