Pearl Thusi defends her speech at DJ Warras' memorial service
Actress and DJ Pearl Thusi has broken her silence following widespread backlash over her speech at the late DJ Warras’ memorial service, which sparked heated debate on social media earlier this week. Pearl was heavily criticised after clips and accounts of her memorial address circulated online, with many accusing her of being inappropriate and insensitive given the setting. The criticism quickly gained traction, prompting the star to address the matter publicly. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Pearl acknowledged the backlash and expressed how deeply the reactions affected her. “People are really cruel here. Really cruel. And I want to say your words hurt,” she wrote, adding that she hoped the same energy used to criticise her could be redirected towards finding solutions to make South Africa safer. The actress went on to apologise to those who felt offended, explaining that her emotions took over in a moment of vulnerability. “I am sorry that my vulnerability in that moment offended so many of you,” Pearl said, noting that she momentarily forgot that the memorial was not limited to people who knew DJ Warras personally. She concluded by urging the public to move the conversation towards issues that could create real change.
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Despite the apology, the response online remained divided. While some users sympathised with Pearl and acknowledged the emotional weight of grief, others insisted that her words at the memorial were still inappropriate regardless of intent. One user commented that although Pearl’s vulnerability was understandable, she still needed to fully acknowledge that her remarks were unnecessary in that space. “You’re a human being, and yes you were vulnerable during that moment. But you also need to acknowledge that what you said was inappropriate and unnecessary,” the user wrote. Others came to her defence, with one X user apologising for not shielding her from the backlash and reminding her that grief manifests differently for everyone. “I was not offended personally. Grief comes in many ways. Please try and enjoy your Dezemba,” the user said. Another commenter took a more practical approach, advising public figures to be cautious when speaking at sensitive events. They suggested that speeches for funerals or memorial services should be prepared and reviewed beforehand, warning that improvising in emotionally charged spaces can easily backfire.