South Africa Inc must wake up to quantum threat

The African Quantum Consortium is urging South African enterprises to take quantum computing seriously, warning that Q-Day — when quantum computers can break current encryption standards — could arrive sooner than expected. Google has announced plans to secure its ecosystem against quantum-driven cyberattacks by 2029, citing accelerating advances. The AQC's Phumzile Madonsela argues that corporate South Africa, especially the financial sector, needs quantum expertise at the executive level, similar to how Sanlam recently appointed a chief AI officer. Key use cases highlighted include portfolio optimisation, logistics, and drug discovery. South Africa is currently the only African Union member with a quantum development road map.