The South African Human Rights Commission is calling for public submissions regarding the impact of expanding data centres and digital infrastructure across the country.
This inquiry comes as the rapid growth of digital hubs threatens to strain local resources and potentially infringe upon basic human rights. The commission aims to assess whether the pursuit of technological advancement is compromising environmental standards or governance protocols.
Dr. Eileen Carter, the Eastern Cape Provincial Manager, said the expansion of data centres raises serious human rights, environmental, and governance concerns [1]. The commission is specifically looking at how these facilities affect the communities where they are situated, including the Eastern Cape, to prevent potential violations.
The scale of the infrastructure growth is evident in major urban hubs. Cape Town currently houses about 10 data centres [2]. However, the city is seeing a surge in development, with four additional large data centres planned [2].
These developments pose significant challenges to the national power grid. New data centres could consume 34% of Cape Town’s current electricity supply [2]. This level of energy demand risks displacing power from residential areas or essential services, creating a tension between digital economic growth and the right to energy security.
The SAHRC is inviting stakeholders and the general public to provide evidence and perspectives on these issues. The goal is to ensure that the digital transformation of South Africa does not occur at the expense of the environment or the rights of its citizens [1].
“The expansion of data centres raises serious human rights, environmental, and governance concerns.”
The SAHRC's intervention signals a shift toward regulating the 'hidden' costs of the digital economy. While data centres are essential for cloud computing and AI, their massive energy and water requirements can create resource scarcity. By framing this as a human rights issue, the commission is positioning the right to electricity and a healthy environment as legal counterweights to industrial digital expansion.
