The Tragic Last Words of DJ Warass: A South African Icon’s Final Message and the Dark Side of the Music Industry
Imagine knowing the exact day you’re going to die.

Imagine, with eerie certainty, telling your family, friends, or a journalist that you have only a few days left, and then, in a cruel twist of fate, you’re proven right.

This is the tragic and haunting story of DJ Warass, one of South Africa’s most beloved music icons, who, just hours before his untimely death, posted three cryptic words on Instagram that would forever change the lives of those who knew him.

The message: “Energy never lies.”
At 9:47 p.m. on December 14th, DJ Warass shared those words with his thousands of followers.

By sunrise, he would be dead, shot in cold blood in front of his wife and children.

While the world tried to make sense of his final message, the truth behind his death began to unravel, revealing a chilling pattern of violence, corruption, and betrayal within South Africa’s music industry.

What started as a tragic story of a life cut short by violence soon turned into a larger investigation into the forces that claimed his life, exposing a system where the truth often comes at the highest cost.

The Rise of DJ Warass
DJ Warass, born Warass Hong Wayne, was a household name in South Africa’s music scene, known for creating the Bikardi House sound, a genre that transformed dance floors into spiritual experiences.

Warass didn’t come from money or connections.

He grew up in a two-room house in Johannesburg’s volatile townships, a place where gunfire was more common than bird song.

His rise to fame wasn’t due to luck; it was a combination of relentless determination, an undeniable talent for reading the crowd, and the uncanny ability to blend diverse sounds that connected with audiences on a deeply emotional level.

Warass began his career at the age of 14, when he first touched turntables at a family wedding.

From there, he went on to play at bar mitzvahs, corporate events, and birthday parties, slowly building a name for himself.

By the age of 22, he had secured a residency at Zone 6 in Soido, one of Johannesburg’s most respected music venues.

His mixes started to circulate on CDs and file-sharing networks, and before long, he became a staple of South Africa’s underground music scene.

But Warass’s talent went beyond technical skill.

He had a rare gift for understanding the crowd’s energy, knowing exactly when to build, when to break, and when to let silence do the work.

His sound, a fusion of traditional South African rhythms, deep house progressions, and jazz samples, became the foundation for a movement that would change the course of South African house music.

By 2012, Warass had crystallized the Bikardi House sound with his iconic track, Sandella, which became a game-changer in the dance music world.

The Hidden Struggles Behind the Fame
Despite his success, the life of a South African DJ was far from glamorous.

Warass’s career, like many artists in the country, was marked by financial strain.

Even as he played to packed venues, his earnings barely covered his production costs.

The music industry in South Africa is notoriously exploitative, with artists often struggling to receive fair compensation for their work.

Warass’s financial challenges were compounded by the cultural expectation to support extended family members, a weight that many South African artists bear but rarely discuss publicly.

The pressure was immense.

Warass was supporting his extended family, paying for school fees, rent, and medical bills.

At the same time, he was trying to maintain his career, dealing with unreliable promoters, poorly paid gigs, and equipment expenses that constantly drained his finances.

The South African music industry, despite its vibrant underground scene, lacked the infrastructure to provide adequate financial security for artists, and this struggle became a constant source of stress for Warass.

The Feuds and Pressure in the Industry
As Warass’s fame grew, so did the rivalries within the industry.

One of the most publicized feuds involved a former protégé who accused Warass of stealing sounds and not acknowledging their collaboration.

These types of disputes were not new in the industry, where ego and competition often take center stage.

The feud escalated through social media and interviews, dividing the community and forcing other artists to pick sides.

This division affected Warass personally, but he remained focused on his craft, choosing to ignore the drama and keep creating music.

However, the stress from the feud, the financial pressure, and the constant public scrutiny began to take its toll.

In the months leading up to his death, Warass became increasingly paranoid, aware that his life was under threat.

He communicated his fears to close friends and family but continued to work, believing that the truth he had uncovered about police corruption and illegal mining operations needed to be exposed.

The Last Words: “Energy Never Lies”
On December 14th, 2024, DJ Warass posted three simple words on Instagram: “Energy never lies.

” At the time, it seemed like a motivational quote, but in hindsight, it was a chilling premonition.

His post wasn’t random; it was a cryptic message, a clue to the energy he had sensed around him in the days leading up to his death.

It was a reflection of his belief that truth, much like energy, always reveals itself.

Warass had been living in fear for weeks, and the night of December 14th marked the end of his life.

Just hours after posting that cryptic message, Warass was gunned down in his car in Melville, Johannesburg.

He had been followed from his home, shot multiple times, and left in his vehicle, with no signs of robbery.

His phone, wallet, and jewelry were all left untouched.

The police initially classified it as a suspected hijacking gone wrong, but the details of the crime scene told a different story: this was an execution, a targeted hit designed to silence someone who knew too much.

The Deaths of Witness D and Other Officers
The murdєr of DJ Warass wasn’t the only suspicious death surrounding this case.

It was part of a broader pattern of violence involving individuals who were either directly or indirectly connected to the investigation into illegal mining operations.

Witness D, the man who had been integral in revealing police involvement in illegal mining, had been murdєred in a similar manner.

His death, along with the deaths of three crime intelligence officers who were investigating the case, raised serious questions about the lengths to which powerful figures were willing to go to protect their interests.

Witness D, who had provided critical testimony about police corruption and illegal activities, had also been silenced in a brutal and coordinated effort.

Just like Warass, D had been aware that his life was in danger, but he too had refused to stay silent.

His death, along with the deaths of the three officers, demonstrated the depth of the corruption within South Africa’s police force and the violent lengths to which those in power would go to protect their secrets.

The Role of Chief Shadrach Sabia and the Police Cover-Up
The investigation into the deaths of Warass and Witness D revealed a disturbing connection to high-ranking police officials.

Chief Shadrach Sabia, the deputy chief of the Akur Hilini Metro Police Department, had been present at a crime scene where a murdєr was covered up.

He had ordered the body to be disposed of, and his involvement raised questions about the extent of corruption within the police force.

Sabia’s actions were not isolated; they were part of a broader network of criminal activity within law enforcement that allowed illegal mining operations to thrive.

The fact that Sabia was implicated in these cover-ups and had direct ties to organized crime networks further complicated the investigation.

His actions, along with the deaths of multiple police officers, painted a clear picture of how deeply embedded corruption had become in South Africa’s justice system.

The case exposed systemic failures that allowed the most powerful people in the country to operate with impunity.

The Public Response: A Call for Justice and Reform
The murdєr of DJ Warass sent shockwaves through the music industry, and the public response was immediate and intense.

Thousands of fans took to social media, posting tributes, demanding justice, and questioning the system that allowed this to happen.

The South African public, already frustrated with corruption and crime, saw Warass’s death as another example of how the powerful remain untouchable, while ordinary citizens are left vulnerable.

Artists within the industry, including figures like Black Coffee, spoke out about the lack of security for musicians and the exploitation they faced.

They highlighted how the system failed to protect artists, leaving them exposed to the same dangers as anyone else in South Africa.

The music industry, despite its global success, was deeply flawed, and Warass’s death exposed the vulnerabilities that many artists face behind the scenes.

The Financial Struggles Behind the Fame
What many don’t know about DJ Warass is that despite his success, he was living under financial pressure.

South Africa’s music industry is notorious for exploiting artists, with many DJs and producers struggling to make a living despite their popularity.

Warass was no exception.

He faced constant challenges, from poorly paid gigs to dealing with the financial strain of supporting his extended family.

Despite his success, he was far from financially secure, and the stress of maintaining his career weighed heavily on him.

The Larger Story: Corruption, Violence, and the Collapse of Justice
DJ Warass’s story is more than just a tragic death.

It’s a stark reminder of how corruption and violence are intertwined in South Africa’s law enforcement and criminal justice systems.

His murdєr, along with the deaths of Witness D and the three police officers, reveals a pattern of systemic failure that allows powerful individuals to escape accountability.

The investigation into these deaths and the cover-ups surrounding them has only just begun.

But one thing is clear: this case represents a turning point for South Africa’s justice system.

Will the country be able to confront the corruption within its police force and law enforcement agencies? Will justice be served for the families of Warass and the others who lost their lives? Only time will tell.