Last week, I had the honour of representing Zycus at the Western Cape Procurement Conference 2025, held in the picturesque Cape Winelands District. As I took the stage for my keynote and joined an insightful panel alongside Belinda West from Woolworths (a Zycus customer) and other forward-thinking leaders, I was struck by one thing: South Africa is standing on the edge of a procurement transformation—and Artificial Intelligence is its bridge to the future.
The energy in the room was electric. Over the course of three days, I engaged with more than 100 delegates not only from South Africa but across the broader African continent—many of them from government institutions and state-owned entities. Their eagerness to explore next-gen solutions was palpable.
And what resonated most with the audience? Our Merlin Intake Solution and the Merlin Agentic AI Platform. The excitement, curiosity, and alignment were unlike anything I’ve seen in recent conferences around the globe.
Key Takeaways from the Western Cape Procurement Conference 2025
A Shared Commitment to Modernisation
From the very first session, hosted by Smart Procurement CEO Debbie Tagg, the tone was clear: the conference wasn’t just about policies and procurement—it was about transformation. Government leaders like Minister Deidré Baartman (Finance, Western Cape Government) and Julinda Gantana (Head of Treasury) laid out their vision for digitisation, sustainable infrastructure, and a more agile public sector.
This vision was brought to life in panels and sessions across three dedicated tracks—Public Sector, Corporate Sourcing, and Infrastructure. Whether it was the “Digital Transformation Journey” case study by Woolworths, or my own session on “Navigating Procurement Through GenAI”, the theme remained consistent: Procurement must evolve, and AI is the way forward.
My Keynote: The AI Moment for Procurement
In my presentation on “Navigating Procurement Through GenAI,” I emphasized that this is not just an era of digital tools—it’s the dawn of Agentic AI. These are intelligent systems that don’t just support human decisions; they take initiative, operate autonomously, and deliver deep value across the Source-to-Pay (S2P) lifecycle.
For government institutions dealing with budget constraints, compliance pressures, and slow manual workflows, the potential is profound.
- With Zycus’ Merlin Intake, policy-aligned purchases can be guided with intuitive workflows—ensuring compliance, speeding up requests, and improving citizen service delivery.
- Our Agentic AI Platform uses a network of intelligent agents to automate processes like vendor onboarding, contract routing, and tail-spend analysis—freeing up capacity and reducing human error.
The delegates—many of whom manage complex procurement ecosystems—immediately saw how these innovations could fit into their modernization agendas.
A Strong Public Sector Focus: Conversations That Mattered
One standout aspect of this conference was the strong representation from public sector institutions. Whether it was representatives from the Provincial Treasury, the Department of Infrastructure, or municipalities like George and Drakenstein, the message was clear: governments want to lead by example.
What stood out to me in discussions was the growing recognition that AI isn’t a “private-sector-only” advantage. In fact, government procurement in Africa faces some of the world’s most complex challenges, from budget unpredictability and political oversight to supplier diversity and rural service delivery.
Yet, many of these same challenges make AI adoption all the more urgent. The delegates I met weren’t asking, “Should we use AI?” They were asking, “Where do we start, and how do we ensure accountability?”
South Africa’s National AI Policy: A Good Start, But Not the Destination
It was heartening to learn during the event that South Africa has already laid the groundwork for AI governance through its National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy Framework. This forward-thinking document positions AI as a general-purpose technology capable of transforming healthcare, education, infrastructure, and—of course—procurement.
Some policy strengths worth highlighting:
- Clear commitment to ethical AI that’s transparent, fair, and accountable.
- Recognition of AI’s role in economic transformation, job creation, and innovation.
- Specific mention of public service applications, like healthcare and revenue collection.
But as with any policy, the real impact lies in execution. As someone who has worked with governments across multiple continents, I can say with confidence: South Africa’s potential is enormous—but the implementation gaps are real.
Case in Point: SARS and the Power of AI
During one of the event’s coffee breaks, I had a deep conversation with a senior government official about the South African Revenue Service (SARS)—a success story in public sector AI adoption.
- SARS has deployed an AI Assistant available 24/7 on its website and MobiApp, improving citizen services dramatically.
- It uses machine learning to detect non-compliance patterns, automate risk assessments, and improve revenue collection.
- In FY 2023/24, SARS collected R1.74 trillion, in part due to these intelligent interventions.
This example proves that AI in government can work—and deliver outsized value.
What Made Zycus Stand Out at the Event?
When I spoke to delegates after my session, what resonated was our “agentic” philosophy. Instead of offering bolt-on analytics or reactive chatbots, Zycus solutions are built to act. From Merlin Intake which guides users to policy-aligned outcomes, to AI agents that perform tasks on behalf of procurement teams, our solutions stood apart.
Belinda West from Woolworths, a valued Zycus customer, reinforced this during her Digital Transformation Journey case study. Her insights into ROI, user adoption, and real procurement outcomes added real-world credibility to everything we discussed on stage.
The Opportunity Ahead: South Africa as an AI Beacon for the Continent
This event wasn’t just a conference. It was a signal.
Africa is not waiting for the West to lead. South Africa has the ambition, the frameworks, and now the tools to chart its own path in AI adoption.
Here’s how the country can lead the charge:
- Create African AI Research Institutes that attract talent and drive innovation.
- Promote cross-border AI collaboration among African nations.
- Provide funding and tax incentives for homegrown AI startups.
- Set South African-led AI standards that can influence ethical development across the continent.
Read more: AI in Procurement: The Ultimate Guide to the New OS
Final Thoughts: From Policy to Progress
As I left the conference hall on Day 3—after supplier matchups, intense workshop discussions, and heartfelt goodbyes—I felt something I rarely experience at business events: hope.
Hope that Africa’s next procurement leaders are ready to embrace change.
Hope that public institutions will choose responsible innovation over fear.
Hope that with AI, procurement will no longer be a bottleneck—but a catalyst.
To all those I met—thank you for your warmth, your curiosity, and your courage.
Ready to see how AI can transform your procurement journey?
Request a demo or contact us today to explore Zycus’ Merlin solutions in action.
Related Reads:
- Streamlining Sourcing: The Power of Autonomous Negotiation
- 30-Day Guide to Implementing a Cost-Saving Indirect Procurement Strategy
- From Data to Decisions: How to Leverage AI for Smarter Sourcing
- 5 Key Benefits of Automating Tail Spend Management
- Why Mid-size Organizations Should Invest in Procurement Automation Now
- The Future of Sourcing: Autonomous Solutions for Procurement
- Beyond GenAI: The Dawn of Agentic AI
- Autonomous AI Negotiation Agents: Unlocking Millions from Missing Middle
- Artificial Intelligence use cases- Identifying and realizing the real value
- Solution: GenAI-powered Procure to Pay Software
