The fire that ravaged the Helderberg earlier in 2009 was caused by children smoking, not by arson, according to investigation findings released on Thursday.
However, the probe found that with a cluster of fires around the same time in the South Peninsula "there appeared to have been deliberate human agency involved", Cape Town mayor Dan Plato said.
"Fire starting devices and delayed timing devices were found in this area," he told a media briefing.
The R350 000 investigation, conducted by forensic expert David Klatzow, was commissioned by former Cape Town mayor Helen Zille after she said there was strong evidence that the Helderberg blaze was started deliberately.
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She said at the time there had been "a suggestion" that fire reservists, who were paid per fire they fought, had a motive to start blazes, because it gave them work.
She also displayed an incendiary device made with matches that she said was discovered in a nature reserve outside Somerset West.
Klatzow told Thursday's briefing that the fire started on the northern slopes of the Helderberg valley.
"[It] was started by children who'd been smoking.
"They'd been smoking one of these hubbly-bubblies, and they discarded the burning embers into some dry fynbos," he said.
One of the South Peninsula fires, that started in the Welcome Glen valley, had also resulted from children smoking in the bushes.
Klatzow said "there are suspects" in the deliberately-started fires, but it would be premature to discuss who they were, as police were investigating.
There had been no arrests yet.
"Whether there's a political motive, whether there's simply an anarchistic motive, whether there is some kind of perverse incendiarism kind of motive, I can't tell you.
"That will only be able to be ascertained once you actually get the perpetrator."
Klatzow also probed the fire that ravaged the slopes of Devil's Peak above the city in March, killing two homeless people.
In that case, the area where the fire started pointed to arson, though no evidence could be found to prove this. - Sapa
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