Equinix data centre approval in Cape Town faces activist appeal

Civil society groups and human rights organizations in South Africa are challenging the approval of a hyperscale data centre project by US-based Equinix near Cape Town Airport. Activists, including the Housing Assembly and technology justice organization Foxglove, have lodged a formal appeal against the Municipal Planning Tribunal’s decision to approve rezoning at King Air Industria.

Objectors argue that the approval process lacked transparency and failed to provide critical information regarding the facility's impact on local electricity and water resources. These concerns are heightened by Cape Town’s history of severe water shortages. The South African Human Rights Commission has received over 250 submissions regarding the expansion of digital infrastructure, with many citizens calling for a pause on new constructions until the impact on scarce land, water, and power supplies is properly investigated.

While President Cyril Ramaphosa has noted that South Africa hosts 70% of the continent's data centre capacity, representing a significant economic opportunity, critics maintain that current applications contain “critical information gaps” and lack meaningful community engagement.