South African civil rights groups want a stop to new data center building.

They want a look at how these projects use water, land, and electricity.

These things are hard to find.

The country wants to be Africa’s main data hub.

Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Equinix build there.

The South African Human Rights Commission got over 250 messages about this.

President Cyril Ramaphosa says the country has 70% of Africa’s data center power.

The government sees this as a chance in the world digital economy.

One big worry is clear information.

Dr. Eileen Carter leads the commission’s early work.

She said information on electricity, water, land use, and nature effects is often not clear.

One new approval got criticism.

It is an Equinix building in Cape Town.

That city almost had no water in 2018.

The building may need 160 megawatts of electricity.

Some experts say the call for a stop is not a no to foreign money.

Pitso Tsibolane teaches at the University of Cape Town.

He said serious investors accept clear rules.

He noted that operators do not have to show their resource use in binding terms.

Operators say their water use is far below the world average.

They also say data centers do not cause electricity scarcity or higher prices.