Shop employees in Mitchells Plain suspect there might be a firebug operating in the area after two fires occurred in shopping centres in the space of four days.
On Friday, the Checkers store in Westgate Mall had to be evacuated and was temporarily closed after an unknown man started a fire in the toilet paper aisle shortly after 3pm.
Rafiek Gawwa, a Colorado Park resident, said: “There was a burning smell in the shop and then you just saw people running away from smoke coming from the one side.
“I went over to check what was happening and there were a few of the staff trying to put something out but the smell was bad and we were told to leave the store.
“I heard from one staff member that a man ran out of the store and started the fire by lighting toilet paper in the aisle near the pharmacy in the shop.”
An employee told the Daily Voice the Shoprite in Lentegeur had to close for two days after a fire occurred in the front of the store.
“My friend works there and they say they got a moerse skrik when smoke started coming from the shelves near the front by the tellers.
“They suspect it was some bra who started the fire by lighting the plastics wrapped around some of the items packed around there. The fire was put out but it caused damage and the shop had to be closed till Wednesday morning when it opened up again.”
City fire and rescue services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse confirmed the fires occurred while no injuries were reported.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said Lentegeur SAPS is aware of the incident but no criminal case was registered.
Shoprite did not reply to queries.