It's believed he jumped from the 22nd floor of a four-star hotel in Paris.
South Africa’s ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, has died in Paris, reportedly of suicide.
This was confirmed by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco).
“The Government of the Republic of South Africa announces with deep sorrow and profound regret the untimely passing of His Excellency Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa, South Africa’s Ambassador to the French Republic,” a Dirco statement said.
According to a French publication Le Parisien, the former police minister was last seen on Monday afternoon.
It reported that his body was found on Tuesday and it was believed he jumped from the 22nd floor of a four-star hotel in the city.
He had booked a room on the floor, “whose secure window was forced open”, UK publication The Mirror reported, citing the Paris prosecutor’s office.
Worrying message
The prosecutor’s office said Mthethwa’s wife “received a worrying message from him” on Monday evening.
She alerted authorities who sparked a search of woods in western Paris.
One of his last public appearances was at the 109th anniversary of the Battle of Delville Wood marked in Longueval, Département de la Somme, France on Saturday.
There he laid a wreath at the tomb of Private Beleza Myengwa, a South African Labour Corps soldier in World War 1, at the nearby Delville Wood South African National Memorial.
Shock
An ANC veteran who spoke to The Citizen said they were in shock and did not believe that Mthethwa would have taken his own life. The party said it would comment in due course.
“I have no doubt that his passing is not only a national loss but is also felt by the international diplomatic community,” said International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said Mthethwa served South Africa in diverse capacities during a lifetime that had ended prematurely and traumatically.
The president offered his deep condolences to his wife, Philisiwe Buthelezi, and the ambassador’s extended family.
“The untimely passing of ambassador Nathi Mthethwa is a moment of deep grief in which the government and citizens stand beside the Mthethwa family,” Ramaphosa said.
The president extended his sympathies to Dirco and in particular, officials in the South African embassy in Paris.
Ramaphosa mourns Mthethwa’s passing
The Presidency said Ramaphosa’s thoughts were also with the wide range of partners and stakeholders, such as the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Presidency, with whom Mthethwa had developed close ties since his diplomatic appointment in December 2023.
“In his last tenure of service, he has facilitated the deepening of relations between the South and the Republic of France, which has produced benefits for individuals and businesses in both countries and advanced our cooperation in the global arena,” he said.
“May his soul rest in peace.”
Mthethwa was appointed to the French embassy in February last year. He served as the minister of arts and culture from 2014 to 2019 and minister of sport, arts and culture from 2019 to 2023. He was the minister of police from 2009 to 2014.
From 2007 and 2022, he served as a member of the ANC’s national executive committee and national working committee.
Implicated at Madlanga Commission
Mthethwa was recently implicated at the Madlanga Commission for political interference during his time as police minister. He was also reportedly on a list of witnesses to be questioned by Parliament’s ad hoc committee into alleged misconduct, collusion and corruption in the police.
During the commission hearings, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said that Mthethwa had attempted to influence the inspector general of intelligence, Faith Radebe, to drop charges against Richard Mdluli, a former head of police crime intelligence.
Mthethwa is one of three police ministers who have been implicated in political interference in evidence to the commission. The implicated police ministers are all from KwaZulu-Natal where political killings have become problematic over the years.
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