This species is listed as Near Threatened on the basis that it is known only from three localities (treated as three locations for the purposes of this assessment), two of which are in protected areas within which a suitable fire regime seems likely to continue and protection is likely to be maintained. Although the other record is from an area that has been heavily transformed, there is no continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat and no plausible future threats have been identified. It is consequently close to but does not fully qualify for a threatened listing applying criterion B1, and potentially D2 as any change to land management at the privately-owned site would likely result in the species becoming rapidly becoming threatened although probably not Critically Endangered or Extinct.

This species is endemic to South Africa, where it is currently known from only three localities: two on the Cape Peninsula in the southwest Western Cape, one within Cape Town and the other in the Cape of Good Hope (Davis et al. 2020); and from a single locality adjacent to Table Mountain (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023). It is so far known only from a vegetation unit that "extends from the top of Lions' Head and Table Mountain to Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope" (Abdalla et al. 2018). It has been recorded between sea level and 469 m asl (Davis et al. 2020). It is unlikely to survive in Cape Town, from which the only record (reported by Frolov and Scoltz 2005) was taken in 1922.

There is no information on the population status of this species. Over a year in 1987-1988 in Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (using a series of 10 traps three times a month, baited with cattle dung) only 11 specimens were collected in traps (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). All were taken in Restio, none in open vegetation (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). The most recent collection was in July 2016, consisting of 3-4 specimens from a series of 10-15 traps baited with pig dung (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023). It is not expected to survive in Cape Town, but there have probably been no surveys as suitable remaining habitat areas as this is limited to areas that need permit access.

The known localities exhibit annual mean precipitation between 428 and 480 mm, and annual temperatures between 14.3-16.2 °C (Davis et al. 2020). One of the published records was taken from dense, low-growing Restio-dominated fynbos on deep sands, comprising habitat that was burned 2-3 years previously (Davis et al. 2020). The unpublished record taken by C. Deschodt was taken from a similar sandy, Restio-dominated area but on a slope with bare rock, and which was likely to have burned recently as the plant community was not dense (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023). It has not been recorded in surveys of nearby, older open ericoid/proteoid fynbos burned 9-10 years previously or in Kikuyu pasture that has replaced natural shrubland (Davis et al. 2020).

It has been proposed that Macroderes species may be particularly associated with earth mounds known as heuweltjies: water-retaining, nutrient-rich structures that attract rodents whose dung may be a key resource for these beetles (Abdalla et al. 2018), however this is unlikely to be the case for this species in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023) and there are no heuweltjies at the site adjacent to Table Mountain (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023).

The species is flightless. Its diel activity is unknown (Davis et al. 2020): it has been captured in traps set overnight, although the related Macroderes nitidus has been found by day during cold weather. This species has been sampled from late winter to the end of spring in July to early November (Davis et al. 2020). It has been attracted in small numbers to traps baited with cattle (Davis et al. 2020) and pig (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023) dung.

This species occurs in a heavily transformed area of fynbos, where 75% of the natural vegetation has been lost (Davis et al. 2020), driven by urbanisation, pine plantations, and invasive Acacia (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). The remainder is divided into two large sections either side of Cape Town City and is mostly protected. The only recent records have been taken from natural, Restio-dominated vegetation subject to recent fire disturbance (Davis et al. 2020). It has not been recorded from more open natural shrubland, or from Kikuyu pasture (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). Records taken from Cape Town in 1922 are from areas that have since been heavily developed by urbanisation (A. Davis pers. comm. 2023). It is likely to have a low ability to recover from any impacts of habitat loss or fragmentation as a flightless species (Davis et al. 2020). The most recently recorded locality is on private land that seems unlikely to be developed in the near future as the owners are 'nature-orientated' (C. Deschodt pers. comm. 2023). The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve is reasonably well-protected, and while unscheduled burns may take place these are unlikely to threaten the beetle as generally occur in summer when the insects shelter beneath ground.

Dung beetles adapted to the cool, arid winter rainfall region of southwest South Africa and Namibia may be at elevated risk from the predicted impacts of climate change, which may result in temperature-driven changes to seasonal rainfall patterns and increase annual precipitation (Davis and Scholz 2020). This may facilitate the expansion of warm-adapted species from the northeast into presently unsuitable areas (Davis and Scholz 2020).

This species is presumably not used or traded.

This species occurs in the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve (Davis et al. 2020). Further research is needed to clarify its conservation status, including quantitative data on its ecological requirements (particularly soil associations and its sensitivity to changes in vegetation cover) (Davis et al. 2020). Surveys are needed of Sandstone Fynbos in the vicinity of Cape Town to clarify whether it occurs more broadly than presently known, especially in lower-elevation parts of the Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos (Davis et al. 2020). There is a need for surveys in Table Mountain National Park and Table Mountain itself for dung beetles generally.