Inside the Social Media Summit for Government 2026: A Conversation with Lorato Tshenkeng, CEO of Decode

In this episode of DeepBrief, I sit down with Lorato Tshenkeng, CEO of Decode, for an inside look at building the Social Media Summit for Government (SMS4Gov) 2026 — held 8–9 July under the theme "Life on the Engagement Spectrum: Artificial Intelligence (AI) + Human Intelligence (HI)."

We unpack the why and how behind assembling a programme of this scale (now in its 4th year) from opening keynotes and AI-powered government panels to crisis communication, digital ethics, and newsroom disruption. Lorato also reflects on the genesis of the summit and pays tribute to the role the late Luzuko Koti played in shaping it.

Endorsed by PRISA, in partnership with JBS, DKMS Africa, Google South Africa, IOL and BR Leadersh ...