As the Western Cape and City of Cape Town grapples with a series of devastating fires this fire season, many believe arson to be behind at least some of the fires.

At the weekend, the City’s Traffic Services arrested a suspected arsonist, after he was detected via CCTV.

Just after midnight on Saturday, 17 January, the Traffic Communications Centre, in conjunction with the Freeway Management System (FMS) cameras, identified the person setting alight vegetation on the M5 northbound, before Berkeley Road.

Through a coordinated effort between the Traffic Communications dispatcher, the FMS operator, and the Highway Patrol, the suspect was arrested by Highway Patrol officers and detained at Maitland SAPS.

A case of arson has been opened.

Cape Town has seen a worrying rise in fire incidents over the past eight weeks, with increases recorded in both vegetation and residential fires.

According to city statistics, fires across different categories climbed by between 5% and 16% compared to last year.

Safety and Security Mayoral Committee Member JP Smith revealed that from 1 December 2025 to 15 January, firefighters responded to 3,492 vegetation fires, alongside hundreds of informal and formal residential blazes.

While dry and windy conditions are thought to be the main cause for the high number of fires, Smith says to have some individuals who deliberately set out to cause more pain and potential harm in this manner is incredibly frustrating.

“We had numerous fires along that M5 stretch in the last week, and hopefully the investigation includes a thorough assessment of all these incidents. This arrest and the manner in which it was made is also a timely reminder of just how useful technology is in the fight against crime, particularly when utilised properly.”

The public is reminded to report emergencies or any suspicious and/or criminal activities to the City’s Public Emergency Communication Centre on 021 480 7700, and to provide detailed information such as the time, exact address and a short description.