Pearl Thusi's DJ Warras tribute slammed

ACTRESS Pearl Thusi has received the hele backlash following her tribute at the memorial of Warrick Stock, better known as DJ Warras, who was shot and killed in Johannesburg’s CBD on 16 December 2025.

At his memorial on 19 December, Thusi shared a personal anecdote meant to honour their bond: a moment after a show when they shared a hotel room so Warras wouldn’t miss an early flight, asking for a “cuddle", which she framed as entirely platonic, sibling-like and safe.

A small story. Human. Tender. And, for many watching online, it was deemed deeply inappropriate.

Binne ure, social media lit up. Critics called the story ill-fitting for a memorial, too intimate, disrespectful to Warras’ family, and a distraction from his legacy. 

Others questioned timing, tone, and boundaries, what belongs in private memory versus public mourning.

The backlash raak’d erger when Norma Mansoor, mother and manager of rapper Chad da Don and a family friend of Warras, publicly condemned the speech, apologising to the family and calling it aandag soek.

Her strong words resonated widely, encapsulating the outrage of many who felt the actress had crossed a line, disregarding the solemnity of the occasion and the emotions of Warras’ family.

Sharing her feedback on her Twitter (X) page on 20 December, Mansoor wrote: “I'm so, so sorry you had to hear this pathetic speech at his memorial. I’m so disgusted by Pearl and how she tried to make this about her. What she was trying to prove only she would know.

“This time, Pearl, you went too far.”

Caught in the crosshairs, Thusi responded on X with visible hurt. She described the cruelty of online commentary, apologised for offending people in her vulnerability, and urged a shift in focus away from outrage and toward the larger issue of safety in South Africa.

Her response read less like damage control and more like a woman stunned by how quickly grief can turn hostile.

She tweeted: “People are really cruel here. Really cruel. And I want to say that your words hurt. I hope we can put as much effort in saying hurtful things about me in finding a way to change things so we can have a safer country.”