When news broke that DJ Warras had been fatally shot in downtown Johannesburg, the world was stunned by the loss of a vibrant voice in entertainment. But behind the headlines and condolences lies a far deeper, darker story — one of a courageous man who disturbed powerful underworld interests… and may have paid the ultimate price.

Warrick “DJ Warras” Stock was more than just a DJ and TV host — he was a dynamic entrepreneur and security innovator. Beyond his well-known roles on radio and television, he ran his own security company and had begun developing solutions to one of Johannesburg’s most persistent problems: hijacked buildings.

A close associate revealed that he was working on a strategic “blueprint” to combat underworld control of hijacked properties, and that this work had “ruffled feathers among people in the underworld.”

These hijacked buildings — illegally occupied properties often controlled by criminal networks — are a major issue in Johannesburg’s city center. They contribute to urban decay, threaten the safety of residents, and generate massive profits for criminal elements who maintain the status quo.

Warras’ approach was more than just talk: he and his team were contracted to assist in managing a notorious hijacked building, conducting audits and drafting strategic reports on security and occupancy issues.

His associate emphasized that the blueprint threatened entrenched interests, disrupting the profits and control long held by criminal groups in the inner city. “We had a solution that clearly isn’t good for business — but whose business is it really?” she said.

On 16 December 2025, Warras was shot dead in broad daylight while working outside the building. Investigators revealed that he had previously secured five protection orders against individuals who had threatened him due to his work — suggesting his murder may have been a targeted hit.

Friends, family, and colleagues remember Warras not just as a media figure, but as a man who confronted dangerous realities in his city. His death underscores a tragic irony: the very blueprint he believed could help rejuvenate Johannesburg’s heart may have also marked him as a threat to powerful underground networks.

As police continue their investigation and the city grapples with rising crime, Warras’ death raises a sobering question: how far must those who challenge the underworld go, and what price must they pay for courage?