US-listed Equinix faces opposition over proposed plans for a massive data centre project in South Africa, in a test of how a country long blighted by power cuts and water shortages manages the rapid build-out of AI infrastructure. An appeal by campaigners is seeking to overturn the approval granted in JSON object here in July for the development of one of Africa's largest hyperscale facilities close to Cape Town International Airport. Equinix, which operates hundreds of data centres around the world, is seeking to expand its footprint in Africa's most developed economy to meet soaring demand from global technology companies.

However, the appeal filed by tech justice group Foxglove and campaigner Housing Assembly argues the plan for a 122,500-square-metre facility was approved under rules meant for warehouses, even though the two proposed data centres were a.