Civil rights groups in South Africa are raising concerns over the rapid expansion of data centers by American tech giants, marking one of the first continent-wide efforts to slow the development of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. These data centers, which house the servers and computing power needed for AI and cloud services, are often operated by large companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Kashiefa Achmat, chairperson of the Housing Assembly, a Cape Town-based advocacy group, has called for a temporary halt, or moratorium, on the construction of new data centers across the country. South Africa currently hosts the most data centers on the continent, with most owned by American "hyperscalers" — large companies that run massive server farms. The demand for computing power in South Africa is expected to grow significantly, reaching 2.2 gigawatts by 2030 — about five times the current level, according to a McKinsey report. American companies are investing heavily in the region, with Microsoft pledging 5.4 billion rand ($300 million) by 2027 to expand its digital and AI infrastructure, and Amazon Web Services committing $1.5 billion to boost AI capabilities across Africa by 2029. Equinix, a major data center operator based in California, plans to invest $438 million in South Africa. These expansions come as data centers face growing scrutiny globally over their environmental impact, including high water and energy consumption. Civil rights groups in South Africa, including Housing Assembly and the U.K.-based nonprofit Foxglove, have filed a legal challenge against two data centers proposed by Equinix in Cape Town. They are also urging the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate the potential impacts of such projects and call for a pause in the expansion of large-scale data centers. The groups want new regulations that require data center operators to disclose their use of water and electricity, and to provide benefits to local communities. They argue that Equinix’s proposed 174-megawatt data center in Cape Town would consume over 4.4 billion liters of water annually — equivalent to the annual usage of 18,000 homes. This is a significant concern given South Africa’s existing water scarcity, as the country narrowly avoided a major water crisis in 2018. While Equinix claims its projects are designed with sustainability in mind, civil society groups argue that the costs and consequences of data centers are becoming more visible, especially for communities already struggling with basic resources like water and electricity. Similar concerns have been raised in Kenya, where a proposed 1-gigawatt data center by the United Arab Emirates-backed G42 and Microsoft faced delays due to worries about its energy needs. Experts stress the need for transparency and community engagement in these projects to avoid mistrust and ensure fair treatment of local populations. While data centers are essential for Africa’s digital development, advocates warn that expansion must be carefully managed to protect the livelihoods and health of vulnerable communities.