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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Mogomotsi Magome and Michelle Gumede

Civil rights groups urge a halt to South Africa data centers boom amid water and power fears

South Africa-Data Centres - (Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

South African civil rights groups are calling for a halt to the construction of additional data centers in the country until the use of scarce water, land and electricity resources has been investigated.

With South Africa positioning itself as Africa's main data hub and U.S. technology companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Equinix increasingly setting up digital infrastructure in the country, civil society organizations have raised the alarm about the lack of transparency around the projects.

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