President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead a South African delegation to California from November 15 to 21, 2026, for an AI learning visit anchored by a November 16 event. The program is intended to help shape South Africa’s approach to developing and adopting artificial intelligence.
The trip comes amid U.S. visa sanctions announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. They target foreign nationals linked to certain policies in South Africa, rather than applying to a visa category or nationality alone.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya announced the visit at the Union Buildings in Pretoria. He described it as a chance “to gain insight into the global artificial intelligence ecosystem and inform South Africa’s approach to the development and adoption of AI,” the Presidency said.
The schedule’s anchor is the “Semafor: Silicon Valley and the World” engagement, where leaders and experts are set to discuss technological developments and the changing global AI landscape. Magwenya said the president will not stop in Washington, but will ensure U.S. President Donald Trump is informed of the visit.
The restrictions target policy-related conduct, not a visa category
The U.S. policy, announced September 15, 2026, invokes Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. It covers foreign nationals responsible for, or complicit in, enacting or implementing laws or policies that enable uncompensated land seizures, race-based discrimination, or incitement of imminent violence against minority ethnic or racial groups in South Africa.
Certain family members may also fall within the restrictions. The announcement did not name individuals subject to them. The policy was issued under Executive Order 14204, titled “Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa.”
The U.S. statement cited concerns about treatment of Afrikaners and other minority populations. South Africa has rejected the allegations as baseless and rooted in misinformation. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Pretoria was concerned and defended domestic policies as efforts to address the legacies of apartheid and colonial rule.
The delegation will combine government, research and student participation
The group is expected to include representatives from government, academia, business and research institutions, alongside technical experts and university students. Its program includes meetings with technology companies, investors, researchers and academics, as well as demonstrations and exchanges on frontier AI, robotics, data infrastructure, cloud computing and digital innovation.
At Stanford University, discussions are planned on AI’s implications for technology, security, the economy, business and the labor market. Participants are also expected to see robotics and other technological research. The program will address AI infrastructure, investment, computing capacity, energy needs and start-up growth, alongside governance, safety, skills and the future of work.
The Presidency says the visit will promote South Africa as an investment destination and highlight reforms under Operation Vulindlela, as well as the country’s digital economy, research capacity and innovation opportunities. Its stated aim is to harness AI while protecting digital sovereignty, policy autonomy and data protection, and supporting responsible governance.
Students from universities across South Africa will take part through the Presidential AI Student Cohort. Nande Fose and Anastasia Gordon, doctoral candidates at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, are among them. The University of Johannesburg’s participants are Donnell Naidoo, who is studying business information technology, and Mufhumudzi Muthivhi, a computer science PhD candidate. Professor Tankiso Moloi, executive dean of the university’s College of Business and Economics, will also join.
Moloi said, “Artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the global economic landscape, and South Africa cannot afford to remain on the periphery of this transformation.” The cohort is expected to meet technology companies, universities and members of Silicon Valley’s venture-capital ecosystem.
The next scheduled development is the November 16 engagement; subsequent announcements about the visit will add detail on its outcomes.
