RADIO star Sol Phenduka found himself under fire on social media after a cryptic post sparked panic over a tragedy in Mzansi's entertainment industry, later confirmed to be the killing of DJ Warras.
On Tuesday, 16 December, Phenduka took to X with a vague message that read: "Eh… this country. The violence is too much. I hope the news I'm hearing isn't true."
The post, which mentioned no names or details, immediately sent followers into a frenzy. Many speculated about who he was referring to.
At the time, SABC News also reported on the incident but withheld the identity of the victim. They said the family still needed to grant consent before the name could be released. Hours later, it was confirmed that DJ Warras, real name Warrick Stock, had been shot and killed in the Joburg CBD. He was 40.
As the news broke, Sol faced backlash online. Users accused him of causing unnecessary alarm by posting before facts were confirmed.
One user wrote: "Sol, if you come across information that hasn't been shared on social media and you prefer not to disclose it, please keep that news to yourself. We're currently busy trying to check if there's bad news and can't find anything."
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Another commented: "You could have broken the story properly. Now people are flooding your comments asking what you meant. You could have said allegedly."
Others echoed similar frustrations. They said the trend of vague posts must stop and urged public figures to either break news clearly or not post at all.
Speaking to Daily Sun, Sol defended his actions. He said he deliberately avoided naming the DJ out of respect for the family.
"I didn't reveal any names because I had not received consent and I was respecting the family," Sol said.
"I was reacting emotionally to the news I heard and hoping it wasn't true."
He said that he never intended to confuse or alarm the public.
"I never meant to cause worry. My thoughts are with DJ Warras' loved ones during this incredibly difficult time," added Sol.
Despite the controversy, fans and fellow artists have continued to express shock and heartbreak over the tragic killing of DJ Warras. His contribution to Mzansi's music scene left a lasting impact.
