Sandton City, one of South Africa's largest shopping centers, suffered more than its peers as a result of load shedding , according to a spokesperson from Liberty Properties, the owner of Sandton City. One of the reasons for this is that Sandton City is a direct customer of Eskom.

Several business owners admitted that January 2008 was the worst year in their history in terms of turnovers. Several restaurant owners feared the worst as winter looms and more blackouts are on the horizon. The influence of Eskom and load shedding on South Africa's business environment is likely to play a major role in negative business sentiment.