South Africa’s AI moment is now – and we risk blowing it

An open letter from South African AI investor Stafford Masie to communications minister Solly Malatsi, sharply criticizing South Africa's draft National AI Policy. Masie argues the policy prioritizes governance bureaucracy (seven new institutions) over the infrastructure and incentives needed to actually build an AI economy. Key points: South Africa's energy surplus (300+ days without load shedding, excess grid capacity) is a time-limited strategic opportunity to attract hyperscaler investment that can't find power in the US; the draft ignores concrete incentive mechanisms like R&D tax credits and compute subsidies; talent drain is an active crisis not a future problem; and open-weight models represent a sovereignty-preserving path the policy overlooks. He offers seven concrete recommendations including declaring AI infrastructure a national priority, capturing the energy surplus, consolidating proposed bodies into a single AI office, and launching emergency talent retention programs.