South Africa’s AI factories fuel infrastructure supercycle

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South Africa faces an infrastructure supercycle driven by AI factories, not roads or rails. These windowless fortresses consume power like small cities, as explained by Daily Maverick's Lindsey Schutters.

South Africa is experiencing a major infrastructure shift towards AI factories, described as windowless fortresses that require electricity equivalent to entire small cities. This development marks a supercycle distinct from traditional builds like roads or railways. Daily Maverick journalist Lindsey Schutters details the wheeling and dealing involved in a video explainer. The piece, published on 2026-03-18, falls under Business Maverick and Maverick News categories, with keywords data centres, water, tech, AI, iPhone. Reporting credits Lindsey Schutters and Tony Carnie, editing by Anda Tolibadi, filming by Joel Seboa, production by Emilie Gambade, creative lead Malibongwe Tyilo, and sub-editing by Kevin Flynn.

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