corporate profiling
Plantina Tsholofelo Mokone
Plantina Tsholofelo Mokone is the South African Internet Governance Coordinator at the .ZA Domain Name Authority.
She is an expert in public policy and socio-economic impact assessment systems (SEIAS) and has over a decade of experience in public policy research, lobbying, and advocacy. Ms Mokone holds a Master of Management in Public Policy from the University of Witwatersrand.
Ms. Mokone is passionate about politics and public policy in South Africa. She understands how challenging and complex policymaking in South Africa can be, especially when it comes to balancing different interests and making tough decisions.
Over the past three years, Ms Mokone has cultivated a keen interest in the South African Government’s regulatory AI approaches. She believes that AI, as a transformative technology, holds the potential to significantly advance South Africa’s societal welfare while contributing to national development and economic objectives. Its potential benefits also encompass supporting sustainable development goals.
Integrating AI into South Africa’s socio-economic landscape presents notable risks. A significant concern is the spread of AI-driven misinformation, which can undermine public trust and disrupt social cohesion. Another concern is the effect of AI on unemployment.
South Africa has the highest unemployment rate in the world. The recently published Q2 Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) records a 33.5% surge in the country’s unemployment rate—the highest in two years. The recent increase, which brought the number of unemployed individuals to 8.4 million, is likely to worsen with the adoption of AI, further affecting low-skilled workers across various industries.
The South African Draft National Artificial Intelligence Plan (the National AI Plan) presents a significant opportunity to harness the benefits of AI while managing these risks. The plan is intended to expand on the priorities of the National Development Plan Vision 2030, the ICT and Digital Economic Masterplan for South Africa, and additional essential strategies. It has the potential to offer the resources required for sustainable and inclusive growth; however, its effectiveness depends on more than just strategies to combat AI-related challenges. A thorough assessment of the costs and benefits for diverse social and economic groups is equally crucial, emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach.