Police commissioner Masemola vows arrest in DJ Warras murder this weekend

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has assured South Africans that the suspect responsible for the murder of Warrick Stock, popularly known as DJ Warras, will be arrested before Monday.

Masemola was speaking during an oversight visit to Safer Festive Season operations in Pretoria on Friday afternoon.

“With regards to the DJ Warras case, a suspect has been identified, and he will be arrested - I am sure before Monday,” Masemola said. 

“He is a known suspect. If not today, then over the weekend, that suspect will be arrested.”

Masemola’s remarks came as a memorial service for DJ Warras was held at The Galleria (M1 Place, 10 Eastern Service Road) in Marlboro, Sandton.

Family members, friends, industry colleagues and senior officials attended to pay tribute to the late radio and television personality.

DJ Warras was shot dead on December 16 as he was leaving the Zambezi Building in Johannesburg.

Police said video footage shows a short man with dreadlocks approaching him, opening fire and fleeing the scene.

Masemola said he was not aware of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) conducting parallel investigations into the case.

“With regard to the investigations you are referring to, I am not aware of metro police doing parallel investigations,” he said. 

“We are working together. I am sure the provincial commissioner can clarify if there is anything in that regard.”

His comments follow reports that three suspects had been taken in for questioning. 

However, IOL News previously reported that Gauteng police denied those claims.

Police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko said no arrests had been made and that investigations were continuing.

“There is no suspect taken for questioning or arrested. The investigation is continuing,” Sibeko told IOL News.

The clarification followed a wave of online claims that three people had been questioned in connection with the killing - claims later dismissed by police.

Meanwhile, the City of Johannesburg previously confirmed that DJ Warras was not the owner of the Zambezi Building, nor was he acting on behalf of the city at the time of his shooting. 

The building reportedly houses about 250 occupants, with around half not paying rent.

“The city categorically confirms that DJ Warras was not in the company of the owner of the Zambezi Building prior to the shooting,” said Alex Mandlazi, spokesperson for Dr Mgcini Tshwaku, the MMC for public safety, in response to an IOL News inquiry.

“At the time, he was engaging with an independent security company regarding the implementation of biometric access control systems,” Mandlazi added.

It has been alleged that DJ Warras was inspecting hijacked buildings guarded by his private security company, Imperium Security. Some occupants of the Zambezi Building were reportedly living there illegally.

“The property owner, through their appointed legal representatives, independently engaged Imperium Security, a private entity linked to DJ Warras, to secure the premises and assist with rent collection,” Mandlazi said. 

“This was a private contractual arrangement and not a city mandate.”

He emphasised that the city does not contract private security companies to secure or monitor hijacked buildings, adding that its bad buildings strategy focuses on restoring law and order in the inner city.

“The primary operational challenge remains the availability of alternative accommodation for displaced occupants, rather than a lack of policy direction or enforcement intent,” Mandlazi said.

“The city confirms that it is not working with any private security companies in the securing or monitoring of bad or hijacked buildings. Specifically, Imperium Security was not contracted by the city. Their involvement was solely through a private engagement initiated by the building owner’s legal team.”

IOL News