South Africa is set to take a significant step toward shaping the future of its fast-growing digital audio space, as Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies prepares to host a high-level roundtable on podcasting on March 24, 2026, in Cape Town.
The session, themed “A Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Podcasting,” will bring together legislators, policymakers, regulators, podcasters and industry stakeholders to explore how best to balance regulation with innovation in an increasingly influential sector.
The initiative comes at a time when podcasting is experiencing rapid growth across South Africa, fueled by rising smartphone penetration, improved internet access and the emergence of a vibrant creator economy.
Chairperson of the committee, Khusela Sangoni-Diko, said the roundtable aims to create an inclusive platform for engagement between Parliament, industry players and civil society.
She noted that podcasting has become one of the most dynamic elements of the country’s digital content ecosystem, providing space for diverse voices, languages and perspectives while unlocking new economic opportunities.
As podcasts continue to expand their reach across news, entertainment and community programming, questions have emerged around how existing regulatory frameworks apply to on-demand audio distributed via the open internet.
The discussions are expected to address these concerns, focusing on how public-interest protections can be aligned with the need to support a rapidly evolving creative sector.
Participants will include representatives from the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, regulatory bodies, independent creators, digital platforms, legal experts, academic institutions and civil society organisations.
Key topics on the agenda include the place of podcasts within current legal frameworks, the potential for co-regulatory models, systems for handling complaints and strategies to expand opportunities for local creators.
Sangoni-Diko emphasized that the committee’s objective is not to hinder creativity, but to ensure sustainable growth under a framework that promotes innovation, accountability and broader participation in the digital economy.
The roundtable is expected to culminate in a report outlining areas of consensus, key challenges and actionable recommendations to guide future policy direction in South Africa’s evolving podcasting landscape.
