Civil rights groups urge a halt to South Africa data centers boom amid water and power fears
Summary
Civil rights groups in South Africa have asked the government to pause building new data centers until the impact on water, electricity, and land use is reviewed. South Africa hosts most of Africa’s data centers, attracting major U.S. tech firms, but concerns exist about environmental effects and resource use transparency.Key Facts
- South Africa has about 70% of Africa’s data center capacity.
- Tech companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Equinix are building digital infrastructure there.
- Civil rights groups want a temporary halt to new data centers until resource use is fully studied.
- The South African Human Rights Commission has received over 250 public responses on this issue.
- Data centers require large amounts of water, electricity, and land.
- Cape Town nearly faced water shortages in 2018, raising concerns about new projects there.
- South Africa experienced frequent power cuts but now reports a power surplus.
- Experts say clear rules and transparency would help manage data center growth responsibly.
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