South Africa’s oldest Internet Exchange Point (IXP) operator has added a fourth Johannesburg peering location, extending the JINX platform into Equinix’s Isando data centre.
INX-ZA, the community-run organisation that has operated South Africa’s open-access internet exchanges since 1996, announced on 10 March 2026 that the Johannesburg Internet Exchange (JINX) is now live at Equinix JN1. The expansion brings JINX to a new carrier-neutral facility in Isando, east of Johannesburg.
What the expansion means for networks
The additional site gives network operators a new option for exchanging domestic traffic closer to their existing infrastructure. By peering at JN1, internet service providers and content networks can reduce latency, lower transit costs, and keep local traffic within South Africa rather than routing it through international hubs.
Multi-site redundancy is a key benefit. With JINX now present across multiple facilities in Johannesburg, operators gain fault tolerance. If one location experiences a disruption, peering sessions at other sites continue to carry traffic.
A 30-year infrastructure commons
INX-ZA described itself as “custodians of a shared, good-for-all digital commons” and framed the expansion as consistent with its founding principle that infrastructure decisions should prioritise community benefit. The organisation operates IXPs in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, making it the backbone of South Africa’s domestic internet interconnection.
The move to Equinix JN1 follows a pattern of steady expansion. In 2024, Nokia was selected to modernise INX-ZA’s switching infrastructure, while the Cape Town exchange recently expanded to a fourth site at Teraco Brackenfell.
Equinix, which expanded its Lagos data centre last year, credited its partnership with INX-ZA as part of a shared commitment to strengthening Africa’s digital infrastructure.
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