- Sol Phenduka says he did not name DJ Warras in his tweet because he had no permission and wanted to respect the family during an emotional and uncertain moment.
- After the death was confirmed, Phenduka called on former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba to act on crime, sharing DJ Warras's past plea for help in the city centre.
Podcast and Chill co-host Sol Phenduka has spoken out after facing backlash for a cryptic tweet he shared shortly before the death of DJ and broadcaster DJ Warras was confirmed.
Phenduka posted the message on Tuesday, 16 December 2025, hinting that a well-known person in the entertainment industry had died, without mentioning any names.
The post caused confusion and panic online. When news later broke that DJ Warras had passed away, many social media users accused Phenduka of being insensitive.
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Speaking to the Daily Sun, Phenduka explained that he deliberately avoided naming anyone out of respect for DJ Warras and his family.
He said he had not received permission to share details at the time.
"I didn't reveal any names because I had not received consent and I was respecting the family," he said.
Phenduka added that he reacted emotionally after hearing the news and hoped it was not true. He stressed that he never intended to cause fear or confusion and apologised to those who were affected.
"I was reacting emotionally to the news I heard and hoping it wasn't true. I never meant to cause worry," he said, while sending his condolences to DJ Warras' loved ones.
After DJ Warras' death was confirmed, Phenduka continued to speak out, calling on former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba to take action on crime in the city.
He also reshared an old post in which DJ Warras had asked Mashaba for help in dealing with crime in the Johannesburg CBD, the same area where he was later killed.
