Civil rights groups in South Africa are challenging the expansion of data centers by American companies. The Housing Assembly and the nonprofit Foxglove filed a legal challenge in August against two proposed Equinix facilities in Cape Town, calling for a moratorium on new projects.
Major tech firms are investing heavily in African infrastructure. Microsoft has committed ZAR 5.4 billion by 2027, while Amazon Web Services plans to invest $1.5 billion by 2029. Equinix has also announced a $438 million investment in South Africa.
Protesters argue that data centers consume excessive water and electricity, resources already in short supply for local residents. Critics claim the proposed 174-megawatt Equinix facility in Cape Town could consume 4.4 billion liters of water annually.
The demand for compute capacity in Africa is projected to reach 2.2 gigawatts by 2030, a fivefold increase from current levels. Currently, Africa holds 409 megawatts of operational capacity, which represents less than 1% of the global total.
Equinix, which has seen its market capitalization grow by over 30% since December to $99.36 billion as of September 16, maintains that sustainable design is a priority. Meanwhile, similar community opposition has stalled a 1-gigawatt project in Kenya.
