The African Digital Transformation Centre, launched in Pretoria in March 2026, is intended to support digital entrepreneurs and ICT SMEs with facilities, mentorship, funding pathways and market access. For growing businesses, the practical lesson is that digital support only becomes valuable when enquiries, contacts and follow-up activities are managed as one connected process.
South Africa’s draft national AI policy was withdrawn for reworking, while government continues to emphasise adaptable, human-centred digital governance. For small businesses, the pause is a useful opportunity to put practical controls around AI-assisted marketing, sales and customer follow-up before formal standards are finalised.
Cabinet’s approval of South Africa’s National Entrepreneurship Strategy and Implementation Plan puts coordination, technology adoption, market access and regulatory improvement on the SME agenda. For owners and marketing teams, the practical lesson is clear: growth support only becomes useful when enquiries, consent and follow-up are managed as one process.
SARS is consulting on a VAT modernisation framework built around e-invoicing, structured transaction data and AI-assisted risk detection. The proposals are not yet final, but South African businesses should start reviewing how sales, invoices and customer records are captured and followed up.
