South Africa: 'We Were Never Consulted' - Cape Town Residents Challenge Equinix Data Centre
[GroundUp] Rezoning appeal has temporarily halted plans
Residents of Cape Town's Bishop Lavis community are protesting against the proposed Equinix data centre, claiming they were never consulted about the project. The site is located less than three kilometres from their homes. The community is concerned about the lack of understanding surrounding the technical details of the data centre and its potential impact on their daily lives.
They argue that the application for rezoning, subdivision, consolidation and amendment of conditions should have been rejected due to insufficient information about the facility's effects on electricity and water resources, as well as emissions and noise. A formal appeal has suspended the approval until a formal internal process is completed.
Activists argue that the land could be better used for housing or recreational areas for young people. While some experts acknowledge the potential job creation, they question the prioritization of a data centre over housing needs.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
