DJ Warras Murder Sparks Call for Stronger Enforcement of Protection Orders in Joburg

The tragic murder of Warrick Stock, widely known as DJ Warras, has cast a harsh light on the state of personal protection in Johannesburg and the escalating crisis of hijacked buildings in the city’s CBD. Shot dead on Tuesday while leaving the Zambezi building opposite the Carlton Centre, Stock’s death may be linked to his security work in buildings plagued by non-paying tenants and criminal syndicates.

Protection Orders Must Mean Protection

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi stressed that protection orders need to be more than paperworkthey must come with tangible enforcement and resources.

“If somebody says there is a protection order that I need, it must not be an ordinary document. It must ensure protection. His death will serve as a reminder that these orders must serve as real protection,” Lesufi told eNCA.

Authorities reportedly have substantial evidence on the suspects, including CCTV footage, and Lesufi expressed hope that arrests would follow swiftly.

DJ Warras’ Security Work and the Zambezi Building

Stock, 40, had been involved in securing the Zambezi building, where only about half of tenants were paying rent. His security company had been contracted to carry out upgrades and safeguard the building from non-compliant tenants, some of whom reportedly threatened him with violence.

Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, MMC for Public Safety, confirmed that Stock had applied for five protection orders, including one granted on 12 December against a female resident of the Zambezi Flats. He had also requested raids to address threats of arson and intimidation from tenants.

A Broader Hijacked Buildings Crisis

The murder also reignites concerns over the inner city’s hijacked building problem. ActionSA leader and former Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba warned that hundreds of hijacked buildings have become hubs of criminal activity.

“For three years, I served as mayor and identified over 600 hijacked, abandoned, and derelict properties. By November 2019, 154 properties had been awarded to the private sector for development, expected to generate R32 billion in construction investments and create thousands of jobs,” Mashaba said.

Yet, he lamented that many of these properties remain under criminal control, costing the city both investment and safety.

The Cost of Inaction

Mashaba’s warning underscores the consequences of neglecting Johannesburg’s inner-city crime and property hijacking crisis. For security professionals like DJ Warras, enforcement gaps in protection orders and slow intervention against criminal elements can be fatal.

As Gauteng authorities investigate his murder, public debate has intensified around the need for a stronger, coordinated approach to protecting those confronting the city’s criminal underworld, while also reclaiming hijacked buildings for legitimate use.

“The city must ensure that protection orders are meaningful and that those enforcing them have the resources to act decisively,” Lesufi said, echoing a call that many fear comes too late for DJ Warras.