Mediamec Supporters gathered outside the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday morning as the murder case of Warrick Robert Stock, popularly known as DJ Warras, returned to court. Many of those present voiced support for the work Stock had been doing to combat the hijacking of buildings in Johannesburg’s central business district.
The court appearance followed a call by the Stock family for South Africans to stand in unity and remembrance ahead of the proceedings. As previously reported, the family urged members of the public to change their social media profile pictures to white and to light candles as a sign of solidarity.
Stock was fatally shot outside the Zambesi House building in the Johannesburg CBD in December while working as a security contractor at the premises.
Several supporters who gathered outside court described DJ Warras as a key figure in efforts to reclaim hijacked buildings and restore safety in the inner city. Some said he had been on the “front line” in confronting criminal networks operating in the area and had become a role model to many young people.
Police initially indicated that three individuals were suspected to have been involved in the fatal shooting. One suspect, 44-year-old Victor Mthethwa Majola, appeared briefly before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court following his arrest last month. Majola faces a charge of premeditated murder in connection with Stock’s death.
Among those attending Tuesday’s court proceedings was Stock’s sister, Nicole, who reflected on the broader impact of her brother’s killing.
“But you get giants that are being taken away from us, that the youth actually look up to and admire. So now it’s up to us as adults and as South Africans to be mentors to our children, to the youth, to the teenagers,” she said.
She also spoke about the wider social consequences of violence, particularly for children left without parental figures.
“Here you see there is three boys that have been left behind, but how many boys are without fathers, how many boys are without mothers? Blaming, pointing fingers is not gonna solve any problem. When we unite and hold each other, that is where we get the answers that we need, not what we want,” Nicole said.
Speaking to journalists after the court session, Nicole appealed for unity while cautioning against calls for revenge or further violence.
“We will never understand why people do what they do. I know the guns are there, but it is what is inside us that makes us want to act and do certain things,” she said.
“We will never understand how people respond to me fighting with you or any kind of aggression, or me speaking out about something because we are all dealing with something totally different.”
As the accused returned to court, the Stock family reiterated their plea for the legal process to be approached with dignity, reflection and unity rather than protest. Supporters were encouraged to observe the day quietly and to light candles at 18:00, wherever they are, as an act of remembrance and prayer.
The family said the candle-lighting initiative is intended not only to honour Stock’s life and legacy, but also to call for fairness in the judicial process and peace as the matter continues through the courts.
The case is expected to proceed, with investigations into the killing still ongoing.
