By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Photo Credit:Lineo Lesemane.
Today marked the final farewell of Warrick Stock, known as DJ Warras nor The Shady Lucker, as family and friends gathered for his funeral in Rosebank, Johannesburg.
The tragedy unfolded on 16 December—the Day of Reconciliation in South Africa. Warras was gunned down in broad daylight in the Johannesburg CBD shortly after midday.
He was exiting Zambesi House, a building near the Carlton Centre, when he was approached by three suspects.
CCTV footage captured a shooter, with one of the assailants dressed in a security uniform, firing multiple rounds.
Though Warras was armed, he never had the chance to defend himself, collapsing across the street as the assailants fled on foot.
The two suspects arrested at Morafe Hostel on Monday are expected to appear in the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 24 December.
Despite having a mixed heritage, Warras openly embraced his Zulu lineage. Those close to him have described him as someone who reflected the mixed-race identity common in parts of the province, where cultural roots often include Zulu ancestry.
The umqhele worn at his funeral carries deep meaning within Zulu and Ndebele cultures.
Traditionally made from animal hide or fur, it symbolises status, cultural pride and identity. Historically worn by men, it continues to be used at important cultural moments, including weddings and funerals.
The umqhele served as a visible reminder of the life that he lived between cultures and the heritage that he chose to honour, even in death.
Several recognisable faces from the media and entertainment industry attended the funeral. They include Duduzile Zuma, Pearl Thusi, Luthando Shosha, Nomalanga Shozi, Siyabonga Metane, and Stock’s podcast co-host, Phindi “Gcobe PH” Madubela.
During the service, a close friend of more than 30 years, Arnold Eckersley delivered a heartfelt eulogy. He reflected on Stock’s life, character and the impact he had on people in all walks of life.
“We come together in faith, in love and in remembrance to honour the life of Warrick Robert Stock, a son, a father, a brother, a friend, and a man who meant so much to so many, “the friend said.
Addressing Stock’s children, Eckersley told them that their father loved them.
“To Warrick’s sons, your dad loved you deeply and was incredibly proud of you.”
He described Stock as someone who showed respect and love to all people, and who connected effortlessly with those around him.
He spoke of their childhood in Vryheid, northern KwaZulu-Natal, recalling days spent “climbing mulberry trees, riding bikes through long school holidays and having endless sleepovers filled with trips to the arcade games in town”.
Stock attended Nardini Convent Primary School and later Filidi Secondary School, where his ability to bring people together already stood out.
Warras sister Nicole Stock described her brother as the light of their family, “It is sad, it’s somber, he was the life of the house. He was the light, the energy. He was this little tsunami that used to come in, so that noise and that bubbliness and that energy is gone.”
Former colleague and friend Sphe “DJ Sphectecular” Ngwenya said it’s disheartening that DJ Warras had to be killed in a brutal manner.
“He said the things that we really found and struggled to find the words to say, but he was that guy that was the voice. So, it’s definitely a sad loss for all of us,” says Ngwenya.
Warras 15-year career saw him rise from YFM to become a cornerstone of 5FM and the face of SABC 1’s Live AMP. Known for his sharp wit and refusal to bite his tongue, he most recently co-hosted The Shady PHodcast and Mzansi Magic’s Ngicel’iVisa.