Pakistan struggled to 205 all out after being reasonably placed at 151 for four in the 35th over handing the initiative to the hosts in the winner takes all match.
McLaren had Shoaib Malik caught at midwicket and three balls later, with the last delivery before the batting power play, he had big-hitting Shahid Afridi caught at deep square leg without scoring.
Pakistan's hopes then rested with their captain, Misbah-ul-Haq, who had played a match-winning innings of 80 when Pakistan squared the series at 2-2 with a three-wicket win in Durban on Thursday.
As he had in Durban, Misbah started cautiously and he had scored only 24 runs off 46 balls when he was caught behind to become McLaren's third victim.
McLaren finished with three for 32, with all his wickets coming in a three-over third spell which cost only five runs.
For the first time this season, South Africa fielded their two leading strike bowlers, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, in their one-day international team.
The pair had been rotated during a series against New Zealand and Morkel missed the first four matches against Pakistan because of a hamstring injury.
Although Steyn and Morkel only took one and two wickets respectively, they contributed to a much-improved South African bowling performance.
Despite an innings of 48 off 51 balls by Kamran Akmal, and a third wicket stand of 66 between Akmal and Younis Khan (29) the Pakistanis were unable to dominate the bowling at any stage during their innings after Misbah won the toss and decided to bat.
South Africa were without opening batsman and Test captain Graeme Smith because of what was described as a chronic left ankle injury which kept him off the field for most of Pakistan's run chase in Durban.
He was replaced by 20-year-old left-hander Quinton de Kock.
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