THE BULLET AND THE BIKERS: How a bullet has exposed battles between two of SA’s biggest biker groups

{JSON.stringify(article.attachments[0], null, 2)} --> A MAC’s Motorcycle Club member was killed in a shooting in Pretoria recently, and a Crusaders biker was arrested. What followed was a stream of videos posted to social media showing individuals in MAC’s apparel clashing with Crusaders. While MAC’S says this is misleading propaganda, it all underscores the tensions between the two groups.

A single bullet has dislodged deep-seated tensions between two of South Africa’s biggest motorcycle groups and led to what one side has now publicly labelled a smear-style campaign, and what others informally say is a display of thuggery.

Barely a week ago, a MAC’S Motorcycle Club member was killed and another wounded in a shooting outside a Pretoria pub.

A biker affiliated with the Crusaders Motorcycle Club was arrested in connection with that incident, which, according to the police, involved one bullet being fired.

Since then, some bikers have taken to social media and called for calm, while numerous videos, from CCTV to shaky cellphone footage, have also been posted online.

South Africa is home to numerous motorcycle clubs and groups. Many of them are not involved in lawbreaking or brawls and violence, which have rocked only certain parts of the country’s biking fraternity. In a recent incident in Pretoria, a MAC’s Motorcycle Club member was killed and another was wounded in a shooting. A biker affiliated with the Crusaders was arrested and has since been criminally charged in a case that is still developing.

These videos show individuals wearing MAC’s insignia in intimidatory or violent confrontations with those in Crusaders gear.

The Crusaders have previously spoken out about the MAC’s and alleged bullying, while the MAC’s referred to the “ targeted assaults on our members”.

This week the Crusaders, in response to Daily Maverick questions about recent issues, did not address the videos and instead focused on the fatal shooting.

Daily Maverick also sent the MAC’s club questions about related matters, and it subsequently released a lengthy public statement on Friday, 16 October 2026, calling the videos “defamatory”, “propaganda” and cautioning that AI capabilities needed to be taken into consideration.

Its statement also referenced active police investigations and expelled MAC’s members who still had club apparel.

These issues are becoming public as concerns have emerged about the impact, if any, an international outlaw motorcycle group could have on the local biking fraternity.

This week Daily Maverick spoke to several sources, who wanted to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, about the videos circulating online.

Some believe that these do not convey the full story and are being spread to intentionally tarnish the MAC’s. (This is also the MAC’s official stance.)