ActionSA says granting bail to the suspect in Warrick “DJ Warras” Stock’s murder case would send a dangerous message.
The party’s comments came as 44-year-old suspect Victor Mthethwa Majola appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for his bail application.
Stock was fatally shot on 16 December outside a building near the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg’s central business district.
Six days after the murder, Majola was arrested and faces charges of premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
ActionSA’s opposition to bail
ActionSA’s Joburg regional chairperson Themba Mabunda said the party remains unwavering in its opposition to granting Majola bail, given the “extreme seriousness” of the crime, the broader context within which it occurred, and the “unresolved concerns” around accountability, the investigation, and public safety.
“The brutal murder of DJ Warras cannot be treated as an ordinary criminal matter. In honesty, it was a violent and deeply disturbing act that has shaken the community and raised serious questions about the effectiveness of law enforcement interventions prior to the loss of life,” Mabunda said.
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“In cases of this magnitude, the justice system must act with caution and resolve to ensure that decisions taken do not undermine public confidence or place further lives at risk.”
He added that the party is concerned that only one person has been arrested despite the “scale and brutality” of Stock’s murder.
Furthermore, he said the circumstances surrounding the broadcaster’s death displayed clear indicators of planning, escalation, and sustained threats.
Protection orders and prior warnings
According to Gauteng Deputy Police Commissioner Fred Kekana, CCTV footage of the incident showed a male suspect with dreadlocks, dressed in what appeared to be a security uniform, delivering the fatal shot to Stock.
His company, Imperium Ops, was contracted to secure the building near where he was shot.
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika following the DJ’s death, Johannesburg public safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku revealed that he had obtained five protection orders before he was killed.
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“He had protection orders against five people who are known to us. I have the orders, which I received from lawyers. We believe a price was put on his head because of the work he was doing, trying to reclaim the building on behalf of the owner,” Tshwaku said at the time.
‘A serious failure’
Mabunda said this was also concerning.
He said the applications constituted repeated warnings and clear indications of imminent danger.
“Yet, despite these red flags, decisive intervention by the South African Police Service did not materialise,” Mabunda said.
“This represents a serious failure in the systems meant to protect victims and prevent foreseeable violence. These omissions must be interrogated, and accountability must follow.”
He said ActionSA stands firmly with the Stock family and all communities affected by violent crime and will continue to advocate for justice “without fear or favour”.
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