The oversight lapse is unacceptable, and officials involved in drafting the document will face consequences, the communications minister has said South Africa has withdrawn its draft national artificial intelligence policy after an internal review confirmed that the document’s reference list contained fictitious sources, Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi announced on Sunday. Malatsi said the lapse “compromised the integrity and credibility” of the draft and that the most plausible explanation was unverified AI-generated citations. “South Africans deserve better,” he said, adding that officials involved in drafting and quality assurance would face “consequence management.” “In fact, this unacceptable lapse proves why vigilant human oversight over the use of artificial intelligence is critical. It’s a lesson we take with humility,” the minister said in a statement . The draft, gazetted April 10 after cabinet approval on March 25, had been open for public comment until June 10.…