Four individuals have been taken in for questioning in connection with the murder of Warrick Stock, widely known as DJ Warras. Members of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) conducted a raid at Zambesi House in the CBD, an eight-storey apartment building that DJ Warras’s company, Imperium Ops, had been contracted to secure. Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku stated that four of the six people against whom Warras had sought protection orders were questioned. These protection orders were filed due to alleged threats made by tenants against Warras and his security team. Intelligence gathered from tenants suggested that these threats were linked to a group accused of refusing to pay rent and attempting to hijack the building.

Following DJ Warras's tragic killing, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie expressed his anger and devastation. Podcaster and activist Jacinta Mangobese Zuma has announced a 'Black Friday March' scheduled for December 19. This march aims to honor DJ Warras's life and legacy while advocating for accountability, justice, and improved safety. While some have supported McKenzie's strong stance, others have urged caution, emphasizing the need to await the completion of the ongoing police investigation, as no official motive or suspects have yet been confirmed. Organizers are currently finalizing logistical details for the peaceful yet powerful march, including routes and gathering points, and are working through compliance processes with authorities.

In international news, Leo Bozell III has been confirmed as the next US Ambassador to South Africa, a decision reached through a party-line vote where all Democrats opposed his nomination. Bozell, a conservative activist and media critic, was nominated in March and acknowledged the challenging state of US-South Africa relations during his confirmation hearing. He has pledged to advance former President Donald Trump’s invitation to Afrikaners, who he claims face unjust racial discrimination, and has stated he will press South Africa to withdraw its genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice concerning the war in Gaza. Bozell replaces Rubin E. Brigety II, who stepped down in January, and assumes his new role at a particularly sensitive time in bilateral relations.

Closer to home, court papers have revealed that the eThekwini Municipality is illegally operating ten wastewater treatment works without valid licenses, a ruling made by the KwaZulu-Natal High Court which stated this violates multiple environmental laws. The court found that the municipality had failed to properly manage sewage spills into rivers and the ocean, leading to consistently high E. coli levels, subsequent beach closures, and significant damage to local businesses. The Democratic Alliance brought the application, attributing the pollution to the city’s failure to operate and maintain its wastewater plants. The judgment highlighted that the licenses for these ten treatment works had expired, and the municipality provided no evidence of extensions or exemptions, rejecting its assertion that authorities had informally allowed continued operations.