South African activists push back on data centre rush in water scarce Cape Town
South African activists are urging a halt to the rapid expansion of data centres in Cape Town due to concerns over water scarcity and lack of regulations, as the city faces potential resource strain from these power-hungry facilities.
In South Africa's water-scarce city of Cape Town, activists are opposing the rapid expansion of hyperscale data centres. In the impoverished community of Barcelona, residents lack piped water and sanitation, relying on children to fetch water from communal taps. The proposed data centre near Barcelona is a cause for concern, as it could strain already limited water and power resources.
Civil society groups, including Housing Assembly and the Extinction Rebellion, have called for a halt to new data centre construction until regulations are established. Equinix, the US-based data centre operator, owns a portion of land in Barcelona, but has not yet planned development. The city currently has around a dozen data centres and has approved licenses for five more.
Opponents argue that data centres consume vast amounts of water, potentially exceeding the annual use of 18,000 households. While Equinix claims its centres use dry cooling and renewable energy, digital technologies minister Solly Malatsi noted that data centres are among the least labor-intensive buildings and would not significantly boost employment.
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