# Cape Town's data centre choice: growth or residents first

> The mayor must decide whether to approve a US tech giant's massive data centre that would claim as much power as 250,000 households.
- Title: Cape Town's data centre choice: growth or residents first
- Summary: The mayor must decide whether to approve a US tech giant's massive data centre that would claim as much power as 250,000 households. Cape Town Mayor Geordin…
- Keywords: cape town, equinix, data centres, geordin hill-lewis, foxglove, king air industria, hyperscale development, electricity demand, municipal planning, south africa, news, politics
- Source: Daily Maverick — https://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-10-12-data-centres
- Author: Daniel Hartford
- Published: 2026-10-12T05:18:58+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: cape town, equinix, data centres, geordin hill-lewis, foxglove, king air industria, hyperscale development, electricity demand, municipal planning, south africa, news, politics
## The decision Cape Town must make
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has ninety days to decide whether to approve Equinix's hyperscale data centre at King Air Industria, which would use as much electricity as two hundred fifty thousand households.
## What the appeal process looks like
Foxglove appealed the Municipal Planning Tribunal's decision to grant land use rights for Equinix's data centres.
## Why this decision matters
This is the first time a South African municipality has decided an appeal of this kind for such a large data centre application. The ruling will set the terms for hyperscale development across South Africa.
## The pressure on the mayor
Approving the project signals to Big Tech investors that Cape Town is open to unconstrained hyperscale developments. Dismissing it risks being told he alienates Equinix and undermines the City's investor-focused open for business mantra.
## What the tribunal approved
The Municipal Planning Tribunal voted four to one to grant land rights for a facility of up to one hundred seventy four megavolt amperes, without water consumption figures, diesel generator details, emissions data, noise assessments…
## The secrecy problem
Equinix's response to Foxglove's objection only reached the group through an access to information request days before the hearing.Since the appeal, Equinix insists it has no plans to build the items in its planning application.
## What the City won't disclose
The City has approved five data centres with two more under assessment but will not say who is behind them or how much power they will draw.
## How other DA cities acted
In eThekwini, Democratic Alliance councillors abstained from voting on a proposed four hundred megawatt AI data centre until there was full transparency and proper public consultation.

> We can buy electricity, but we can't buy more water.
## What upholding the appeal means
Upholding Foxglove's appeal is not a vote against development but a statement that development must put Cape Town residents ahead of Big Tech and that big projects should be assessed on full details before ground…
## The stakes for residents
For residents of KTC, Bishop Lavis, Gugulethu and Barcelona informal settlement, the data centre issue is a material concern about what authorities prioritise: transparent decision-making, genuine community engagement, unsubstantiated job promises and scarce resources.
## Key takeaway

Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has ninety days to rule on Equinix's hyperscale data centre at King Air Industria, a decision that will shape Big Tech expansion across South Africa and pit investor interests against residents' needs.