SAICA champions AI readiness through landmark maturity assessment for South Africa

Johannesburg, 21 August 2025 — The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting artificial intelligence (AI) development in the country through its contribution to South Africa’s AI Maturity Assessment Framework (AI MAF) and the first assessment of the country's AI readiness.

Developed in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (“GIZ”) through its “FAIR Forward – Artificial Intelligence for All” project, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the University of the Western Cape, and the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, the AI MAF provides a baseline for assessing South Africa’s readiness for artificial intelligence (AI) adoption across key domains. The findings reveal that while there is early intent and foundational activity in AI, progress remains fragmented, with seven of the eight domains still in the early stages of maturity.

For South Africa, these insights are critical. The assessment underscores the need for greater ecosystem coordination, stronger regulatory frameworks, and targeted investments to ensure AI is harnessed responsibly to improve the AI ecosystem, including its governance and ability to enhance the quality of life and drive economic progress in South Africa.

Milton Segal, SAICA’s Executive for Standards, emphasised SAICA’s role in bringing governance, accountability, and ethical lens to the AI conversation. “Looking ahead, the focus must be on upskilling, developing robust AI programs, and integrating AI into national curricula and professional development. This includes both our members in practice and those in the broader business community. While we are still in the early stages, we anticipate rapid growth in both the understanding and application of AI within the profession. As this transformation unfolds, it is essential to highlight the economic and business opportunities that people should consider, ensuring that individuals and organisations are well-positioned to benefit from AI-driven innovation. However, this progress must be guided by integrity, trust, and sound governance — principles that our members and associates are trusted to uphold”

Msizi Gwala, Lead for Public Sector Thought Leadership, noted that the public sector is uniquely positioned to unlock and enable AI’s transformative potential — from reducing inefficiencies to driving inclusive development.

“SAICA’s involvement in this project is timely. For us as a profession, it’s about supporting our members who are embedded in governance systems and play key roles in investment decisions around AI. Whether it’s preparing various reporting information or helping businesses achieve their goals, our collaboration is essential. We need to make this a win — not just for the profession, but for the entire country”, expanded Gwala.

The assessment introduces a dynamic dashboard, hosted by the CSIR, to track AI maturity indicators over time. This tool will enable policymakers, leaders, researchers and institutions to monitor progress and make evidence-based decisions aligned with national priorities such as the National Development Plan 2030 and the African Union’s Continental AI Strategy.

SAICA’s involvement ensures that the framework can be used by both business and government, is not only a research tool but also a practical instrument to measure progress— equipping stakeholders with actionable insights to bridge gaps, design ethical AI policies, and deliver a better AI ecosystem that meets citizen needs in an increasingly digital economy.

Issued by the SAICA Corporate Affairs Team

About SAICA

The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), South Africa’s pre-eminent accountancy body, is recognised as the world’s leading accounting institute and is home to the leading CA designation in the world The Institute provides a wide range of support services to more than 60 000 members and associates who are chartered accountants (CAs[SA]), as well as associate general accountants (AGAs[SA]) and accounting technicians (ATs[SA]), who hold positions as CEOs, MDs, board directors, business owners, chief financial officers, auditors and leaders in every sphere of commerce and industry, and who play a significant role in the nation’s highly dynamic business sector and economic development.

SAICA is a member of Chartered Accountants Worldwide (CAW), a global family that connects over 1,8 million fellow Chartered Accountants and students in more than 190 countries. Together, we support, develop, and promote the role of Chartered Accountants as trusted business leaders, difference makers, and advisers.

SAICA media contact

Kgauhelo Dioka, ***@saica.co.za or 068 087 1867

Manager: Public and media relations

Acting Lead: Corporate Affairs

SAICA Customer Experience Division