Shell service stations in Cape Town and surrounding areas were running out of fuel, Shell SA said on Monday.

Company spokesperson Dennis Matsane said the company had been experiencing a shortage of fuel in the Western Cape, mainly in Cape Town, since Thursday.

"There may have been isolated instances of shortages in certain areas before that, but it became critical on Thursday," he said.

Matsane declined to say what was causing the shortage.

"Our main priority is to ensure that we are getting fuel to our retailers. We are not going to comment on any other issue at the moment," he said.

Matsane said, however, that deliveries in Cape Town continued to improve during the course of the day, resulting in fewer retail service stations experiencing stock-outs.

"While fuel deliveries still remain constrained, the company expects all Shell retail sites in Cape Town to have fuel available by the middle of this week," he said.

None of the other provinces experienced the shortage, Matsane said.

Motorists can call the toll-free number 0800-027-027 or visit www.shell.co.za for details on Shell service stations where they can fill up their vehicles.