In a week defined by mourning and national shock, the aftermath of the memorial service for the late Warrick Stock, widely known as DJ Warras, has taken an unexpected turn into a public debate on the etiquette of grief.
Pearl Thusi, a celebrated South African actress and a close friend of the fallen DJ, has broken her silence following a wave of intense backlash regarding her tribute during the service on December 19, 2025.
The controversy centered on a personal anecdote Thusi shared about a night spent sharing a hotel room with the DJ after a performance in Cape Town.
In her speech, Thusi described how Warras, fearing he would oversleep and miss an early flight, asked if they could stay in the same room.
She recounted that he had insisted on a platonic “cuddle,” which she agreed to while placing a row of pillows between them to maintain a sibling-like boundary.
While Thusi framed the story as a testament to the safety and deep trust inherent in their friendship, the public reaction was swift and largely condemning.
Many social media users and attendees felt the anecdote was overly intimate and profoundly insensitive to the DJ’s family, including his partner and children who were seated in the front row.
Norma Mansoor, a family friend and mother to rapper Chad Da Don, was among the most vocal critics, labeling the speech as “pathetic” and “disgusting,” accusing Thusi of centering herself during a moment meant for the deceased.
Faced with this “quiet storm” of online hostility, Thusi took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her distress and defend her intentions.
She wrote, “People are really cruel here.
Really cruel.
And I want to say your words hurt,” signaling a woman who was visibly stunned by how quickly a moment of shared vulnerability had turned into a spectacle of public shaming.
Thusi emphasized that her words came from a place of raw grief and an attempt to honor the specific, human bond she shared with Warras.
She also offered a sincere apology, stating, “I am sorry that my vulnerability in that moment that it offended so many of you.
I forgot that itβs not only people who knew Warras whoβd be there.
” In her response, she urged the public to pivot away from the outrage over her speech and refocus on the tragic circumstances of Warras’ murder and the broader issue of safety in South Africa.
Despite her apology, many in “Mzansi” have refused to back down, arguing that a memorial service is a communal ritual with set boundaries that were disregarded in her “freestyled” delivery.
Critics have pointed out that “reading the room” is a vital skill during a funeral, where private memories must sometimes remain private to protect the dignity of the grieving family.
However, Thusi has also found support from figures like DJ Zinhle and Life Coach Lundy, who argued that the backlash is a symptom of a society that is uncomfortable with non-traditional forms of platonic intimacy.
Coach Lundy suggested that Thusi was simply sharing “the part she remembers” and that the public should not police how an individual chooses to process their loss.
The tension between personal, authentic grief and the expectations of a public audience has become a central theme of the week’s cultural discourse.
The “cuddle” anecdote has been dissected across TikTok, X, and Facebook, with some seeing it as a beautiful compliment to Warras’ character and others seeing it as a “lame” attempt to remain the “star of the show.”
The fact that Thusi’s daughter, Thandolwethu Mokoena, also gave a tearful tribute highlights the deep familial connection Thusi felt toward the Stock family.
As the country prepares for the legal proceedings against the suspects arrested for the murder, the fallout from the memorial remains a lingering wound in the entertainment community.
Thusiβs experience is a stark reminder of the complexities of being a public figure in a state of mourning, where every word is recorded, shared, and judged by millions.
Her regret over “forgetting” the wider audience suggests a woman who was momentarily lost in her own history with a friend she will never see again.
While the public calls for “more accountability” and “less oversharing” continue to echo, Thusi remains firm in her stance that her pain is real and that the words directed at her have been unnecessarily “cruel.
” The memory of DJ Warras, a man who was celebrated as a “fearless voice” and a “devoted father,” now sits in the shadow of this viral debate.
Ultimately, the incident has highlighted a central truth: grief is not a performance for public approval; it is often awkward, misplaced, and deeply personal.
As the nation moves forward, the hope is that the focus will return to the life and legacy of Warrick Stock, rather than the controversy of a single speech.
Pearl Thusiβs “vulnerability” may have been a bridge too far for some, but for her, it was a final, honest goodbye to a “brother” she deeply loved.
The screenshots of her defense and the videos of her speech will likely remain in the digital archive of 2025 as a testament to a season of profound loss and public friction.
May the family find the peace they deserve, and may the community find a way to mourn without the “red bands” of judgment.
The finality of the tragedy in the Johannesburg CBD is the true “important thing” that Thusi hopes the country will now focus on.
Justice for the legend is the goal, and the silence of the airwaves remains the loudest tribute of all.
