South African civil rights organizations are urging a temporary halt to new data center construction to allow for a thorough examination of resource use. These groups are concerned about the country's limited supplies of water, land, and electricity, and they argue that these critical resources should be carefully assessed before approving more projects. This debate places South Africa in a growing list of countries, including Thailand and the United States, where similar concerns have emerged in recent months. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa highlights the country's position as home to 70% of Africa's total data center capacity, viewing this as a significant economic opportunity. Major global technology firms, such as Amazon, Microsoft, and Equinix, have expanded their digital infrastructure in South Africa, further solidifying the nation’s role in the global tech landscape. In May 2026, the South African Human Rights Commission received over 250 public submissions in response to a call for input on data center expansion. Many South Africans are concerned about the transparency of the government's decision-making process. A key issue is the availability and clarity of information about electricity and water needs, land use, infrastructure demands, environmental effects, and the impact on local communities. One of the most controversial projects is an Equinix hyperscale data center planned for Cape Town, a city that narrowly avoided a severe water crisis in 2018. Known as "Day Zero," that crisis had predicted the city’s taps would run dry. The new facility is expected to require about 160 megawatts of electricity, reigniting fears of the country's past power shortages. Although Eskom, South Africa's national power utility, reported a surplus during this year's winter peak, civil society groups remain cautious about whether this surplus will be used to support new data centers. Investors and operators of data centers have pushed back against calls for a pause, arguing that clear regulations are more important than uncertainty. Pitso Tsibolane, a senior lecturer in Information Systems at the University of Cape Town, said that serious investors are not deterred by clear rules and that an unregulated boom would be even more uncertain. Additionally, data center operators are not required to disclose their exact water, electricity, and land commitments upfront, a point of concern for critics. Sasha Booth-Beharilal, who leads the Internet Service Providers Association, argues that data centers are not the main cause of rising electricity prices or shortages in South Africa. She also notes that local data centers differ significantly in their resource use from large American facilities, making direct comparisons difficult. Whether a temporary pause will lead to clearer regulations or delay necessary digital development remains unclear.