“OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN — BUT PLEASE COME WITH PEACE.”

Those are the words carrying the weight of a family’s grief as South Africa prepares to say goodbye to Warrick “DJ Warras” Stock.

On Friday, mourners will gather at the SABC in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, for a memorial service honouring the life of the beloved radio and music personality whose voice, energy, and passion touched countless lives. For his family, the day arrives too soon — yet they face it with quiet strength, asking the public for one simple thing: come in peace.

DJ Warras’ life was tragically cut short earlier this week in what authorities have described as a targeted act of violence. The shock of his death has rippled across the country, leaving fans, colleagues, and listeners struggling to comprehend how someone so full of life could be taken so suddenly.

For his loved ones, the pain is far deeper than words can capture.

In the days since his death, the family has lived inside a blur of grief — phone calls, condolences, unanswered questions, and a silence that feels heavier with every passing hour. And yet, as the nation mourns, they have found the strength to speak, not with anger, but with a plea rooted in love.

They want DJ Warras to be remembered for who he was, not for how he died.

They want the memorial to be a space of unity, dignity, and reflection — not one overshadowed by fear, rage, or division.

“He brought people together,” one family member said quietly. “That’s how we want him remembered.”

The memorial service at the SABC will be open to those who wish to honour his memory, and preparations are underway to ensure it becomes a moment of collective healing. Music, tributes, and reflections will celebrate a man whose career spanned radio, entertainment, and community engagement — a man who used his platform to uplift others.

Alongside the family’s message of peace, national leaders have also spoken out. The African National Congress has called for maximum speed and determination in apprehending and prosecuting those responsible for the brutal killing. Their statement reflects a broader demand for justice — not only for DJ Warras, but for a society grappling with violence that too often leaves families shattered.

Yet, while calls for accountability grow louder, the family’s focus remains firmly on the human cost.

Behind the public tributes lies a private devastation. DJ Warras was not only a public figure; he was a son, a brother, a father, and a constant presence in the lives of those who loved him. His absence is felt in ordinary moments — the quiet hours of the night, the phone that no longer rings, the future plans that will never unfold.

Perhaps the most painful truth of all is this: three children will now grow up without their father.

It is a reality the family carries silently as they prepare for Friday’s memorial. While the country debates justice and safety, they are thinking about bedtime stories that will never be told, milestones that will be reached without him, and questions that will one day need answers no child should have to ask.

This is why their request matters.

They are not asking for silence forever. They are not asking the public to forget the circumstances of his death. They are asking, simply, that Friday be about love, not violence; remembrance, not rage.

“Please come with respect,” the family said. “Please come with peace.”

It is a request born from exhaustion — the exhaustion of grief, of shock, of trying to hold themselves together while the world watches. It is also an act of courage. In the face of brutality, they choose dignity. In the face of anger, they choose calm. In the face of loss, they choose to protect the memory of the man they loved.

Those who knew DJ Warras describe him as generous, passionate, and deeply connected to his community. He was a storyteller, a connector, someone who understood the power of sound to bring people together. In many ways, the memorial reflects that legacy — a gathering of voices united by shared loss and shared love.

As Friday approaches, security and logistics are being carefully managed to ensure the event remains safe and respectful. Organisers have echoed the family’s message, urging attendees to honour the spirit of the occasion.

This is not a protest.
This is not a spectacle.
This is a farewell.

A farewell to a life that mattered.

A farewell to a voice that shaped mornings, nights, and memories.

A farewell that should never have come so soon.

In the end, the family knows there are no words that will make this easier — not for them, not for the children left behind, not for a nation mourning another senseless loss. But if there is one thing they hope will come from Friday, it is this: that DJ Warras is remembered with the same warmth, respect, and humanity he gave to others.

Justice will take its course, they say. Answers will come in time.

For now, they ask only this — stand with them in peace.

Because sometimes, in the deepest grief, honouring a life begins not with noise, but with quiet love.