South African companies face a quiet revolution in technology governance. King V, the country’s latest corporate governance framework, builds on King IV by aligning governance expectations more closely with law, sustainability priorities and the demands of a digital economy. Beyond compliance, it champions sustainability through integrated ESG and Ubuntu approaches, encouraging leaders to prioritise ethical decision-making, measurable outcomes, and long-term value creation.
The governance conversation has moved decisively beyond traditional IT oversight and into the territory of data governance, AI ethics, cyber resilience, organisational value creation and digital accountability. King V’s emphasis on governing data, information and technology is not just another update. It is a strategic signal that the next frontier of organisational integrity lies in the digital realm.
Technology has long powered the enterprise, but boards have seldom seen it as the engine of growth and transformation, until now. King V ends that illusion. Technology, data and information are now inseparable from competitive advantage, operational efficiency, risk resilience and ethical conduct.
In South Africa’s increasingly digitised economy, where financial institutions process millions of transactions daily, retailers rely on integrated supply chains, and the public sector struggles under the weight of legacy systems, digital governance is no longer peripheral. It is fundamental to organisational sustainability.
Yet the reality on the ground is sobering. Most boardrooms lack the skills to interrogate technology decisions meaningfully. Many CIOs struggle to explain how the performance of data, information and technology translates into business outcomes. Board reporting on technology remains immature, often reduced to system uptime, IT project updates or isolated cyber incidents.
Technology spend across large organisations represents a significant portion of annual budgets. But the returns are often unclear. Worse still, the risks continue to escalate. Data breaches, system failures, unethical AI use, obsolete platforms and exposed customer information are becoming more frequent.
In a country navigating economic pressure, rising cybercrime and declining public trust, weak digital governance carries amplified consequences.
- Cyber-attacks are becoming more destructive, with financial services facing sophisticated attempts to commit fraud every day.
- AI tools are entering the workplace faster than organisations can develop governance frameworks, raising concerns about fairness, privacy and accountability.
- Trust in institutions is fragile, and poor data handling or system failures can cause reputational damage overnight.
King V’s emerging guidance on emergent and disruptive technologies is particularly relevant in a market where AI is advancing faster than regulation. However, the expertise required to govern these technologies remains scarce. This gap between the oversight expected of boards and the technical capabilities needed to fulfil that oversight is one of South Africa’s most urgent governance risks.
King V’s guidance on the governance of data, information and technology encourages organisations to treat digital oversight as a value discipline rather than a compliance obligation. Boards are expected to understand not only the level of technology spend, but the strategic rationale behind it and the value it is intended to generate.
King V’s call for effective management and control implies a level of digital value measurement that most organisations do not yet have. Technology economics, which helps quantify the return on digital investment, is growing internationally and emerging locally, but few companies apply it consistently.
Lifecycle data governance is another significant requirement. Ensuring that data is collected ethically, secured appropriately, used responsibly, and destroyed correctly requires modern tools, sustained investment, and continuous training. In organisations already stretched thin, this may feel daunting. The alternative, however, is far costlier. Weak controls and under-skilled oversight increase the likelihood of regulatory penalties, financial loss and reputational harm.
King V also expects internal audit, risk management and assurance functions to assess the ethical and effective use of technology. This introduces another capability challenge. Many South African auditors and risk professionals still lack the technical skills to thoroughly evaluate AI models, cloud architecture, data architecture, or cyber resilience. Without upskilling or hybrid advisory support, these expectations will remain out of reach.
King V urges boards to rethink whether their governance frameworks align with the realities of a digitally accelerated world, where AI, data, and emerging technologies are reshaping every sector. Today, every governing body, public or private, should be asking:
- Are we governing data, information and technology as strategic assets or as operational afterthoughts?
- Do we understand the risks our digital ecosystem creates and the value it should deliver?
- Are we prepared for AI ethics, algorithmic transparency and responsible automation?
- Can we demonstrate clear returns on digital investment?
- Do we have the skills at the board and executive level to govern technology credibly?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, then governance is already out of step with King V’s expectations.
South Africa cannot afford another generation of governance failures, whether financial, operational, or digital. Principle 10 is a timely reminder that digital governance now sits at the centre of organisational sustainability and national competitiveness.
Strong digital governance will not solve all of the country’s structural problems, but weak digital governance will almost certainly worsen them. As businesses, regulators, and public institutions navigate economic volatility, rising cyber threats, and rapid AI disruption, the organisations that thrive will be those that treat the governance of data, information, and technology as a strategic advantage rather than a compliance exercise.
King V has thrown down the gauntlet. It is now up to South African boards to pick it up.
- Bram Meyerson is a Masters of Management of Technology and Innovation Alumnus and an Executive Member of the Convocation at The DaVinci Institute and the CEO of Quantimetrics.
