Cape Town authorities have approved Equinix’s proposal to build two large data centres despite strong opposition from environmental activists concerned about the project’s impact on water resources, electricity consumption and the surrounding environment.
The decision marks an important milestone for the US-based digital infrastructure company as it expands its presence in Africa, where demand for cloud services, artificial intelligence and digital connectivity continues to grow rapidly.
Massive Data Centre Project Planned
The proposed facilities will be built in the King Air Industria area of Cape Town and are expected to require approximately 170 megawatts of electricity, making the project one of the largest planned data centre developments in South Africa.
For comparison, Teraco, Africa’s biggest data centre operator, currently operates around 189 megawatts of critical power capacity across its campuses.
The approval highlights South Africa’s growing importance as a regional technology hub capable of supporting increasing digital infrastructure investments.
Activists Raise Environmental Concerns
The project faced strong opposition from the Housing Assembly, a South African grassroots organisation, and UK-based technology advocacy group Foxglove, represented by the Legal Resources Centre.
The groups argued that Equinix had not provided sufficient information about the project’s environmental footprint, including its expected electricity demand, water consumption and long-term sustainability.
Foxglove Co-Executive Director Rosa Curling criticised the approval, claiming global technology companies often fail to provide communities with adequate information about the environmental consequences of large-scale developments.
The organisations have indicated they are considering filing an appeal against the decision.
Equinix Responds
Equinix confirmed it has purchased land in Cape Town but stated that it has not yet submitted a formal site development plan.
The company said that if it proceeds with construction, it will work closely with local authorities, utility providers and community stakeholders while remaining transparent throughout the planning process.
Equinix also emphasised its commitment to engaging with local communities before finalising development plans.
Growing Demand for Digital Infrastructure
The approval comes as Africa experiences rapid growth in digital services, cloud computing and AI technologies, driving demand for modern data centre infrastructure across the continent.
Industry analysts believe investments like Equinix’s will strengthen South Africa’s position as one of Africa’s leading technology and connectivity hubs, although balancing economic development with environmental sustainability remains a growing challenge.
