Is there a biker war in Pretoria? A fatal shooting outside Little Britain Pub has raised questions about motorcycle club tensions, but an organised conflict has not been established.
The pub has disputed accounts suggesting a fight preceded the October 10 shooting, which killed Baden Watson and wounded Ruan van der Merwe.
In a statement, the establishment alleged that the accused, Brian Smith, waited outside for members of MAC’s Motorcycle Club before firing a single shot.
Smith, 45, faces charges of murder and attempted murder. He appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on October 13, and the matter was postponed to October 20 for a formal bail application. The state intends to oppose bail.
According to the pub, CCTV footage captured the incident from three angles, two with sound. It said the recordings had been handed to SAPS investigators.
The establishment alleged that one bullet struck Van der Merwe before hitting Watson, with the shot fired from approximately 1.5 metres away.
“There was no prior altercation, fight or argument beforehand,” the pub stated.
It said shopping centre security arrived within seconds of the shot.
The establishment further alleged that Smith’s son pulled Watson’s girlfriend away from Smith and threw her to the ground, helping his father leave.
These allegations have not been independently verified against the footage, which Rekord has not viewed.
The pub’s single-shot account is consistent with preliminary police information. SAPS spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk previously said one cartridge had been recovered and that police suspected the bullet passed through the wounded man before striking Watson.
However, accounts of what preceded the shooting differ.
According to an NPA account reported by Jacaranda FM, Smith had allegedly been asked to leave the premises because he belonged to a different motorcycle club.
NPA spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said Watson died at the scene, while the wounded man was taken to hospital. Smith handed himself over to police in the early hours of the following morning and was arrested.
Also read: Pretoria pub shooting: Accused appears in court as slain biker identified
Following the shooting, Little Britain Pub announced that motorcycle club patches would no longer be permitted on its premises.
The establishment said it would remain bike-friendly and that the restriction applied equally to all clubs.
“This policy applies equally to all clubs and does not assign blame to any club or the wider biking community,” it said in its earlier statement.
While the shooting has prompted concern about tensions between clubs, the information currently available does not establish a wider biker war in Pretoria.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain subject to investigation and court proceedings. Smith has not been convicted in the case.
Also read: Pretoria pub bans motorcycle club patches after fatal shooting
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