Equinix doubles down on Joburg data centre expansion

Equinix is expanding its Johannesburg 1 data centre to a capacity of 24MW, in response to increasing customer demands for emerging technologies. The US-based digital infrastructure firm entered the South African market in 2024, investing $160 million in its first data centre in Johannesburg. Located in Germiston, near Oliver Tambo International Airport, the facility has completed its first phase, providing 4MW of capacity, with two additional phases of 10MW each planned.

Equinix's South African operations manager, Sandile Dube, expressed gratitude for the positive reception from the local market, noting the facility's role in connecting clients and partners to the global ecosystem, which includes over 10,500 customers, cloud providers, and more. The expansion aims to bolster Johannesburg 1's position as a key point of access to cloud providers, connectivity firms, and systems integrators.

Dube emphasized that South Africa's strategic location between the Atlantic and Indian oceans, coupled with its relatively developed digital infrastructure, makes it an important connectivity hub linking businesses on the continent with international markets. AI is playing a significant role in Equinix's South African strategy, with the Johannesburg 1 facility designed to accommodate the growing demand for AI workloads.

The power capacity and liquid-cooling infrastructure within the facility cater to the power-intensive nature of AI technologies. Equinix has set aside R7.5 billion for its South African expansion, acquiring additional land in Johannesburg and Cape Town for future growth. However, no developments on the two additional sites have commenced, as the company waits to assess market demand before proceeding with further expansions.