The 58-year-old Mthethwa was found dead on the morning of Tuesday, 30 September.
The brother-in-law of the late former South African ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, says French authorities are still conducting a post-mortem, with repatriation expected to begin next week.
The 58-year-old Mthethwa was found dead on the morning of Tuesday, 30 September, after falling from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Paris.
French authorities are investigating the circumstances and say no possibilities, including foul play, are being ruled out.
Death certificate
Mthethwa’s brother-in-law, Dr Sfiso Buthelezi, told The Citizen that they are waiting for the death certificate.
“The body is in the government mortuary (Paris). They must still do the autopsy. They said they think by Monday, at the latest, Tuesday, they’ll finish their processes, and they can hand the body over to us. Then we must start the process of repatriating the remains back home.”
Buthelezi said they don’t know why Mthethwa booked into the hotel.
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“There was no reason. When he left the residence, he said he was going to a meeting. In fact, Phili [Mthethwa’s wife] said I know the ambassador’s diary, and I don’t know this meeting that the ambassador is talking about.”
Hotel booking
Buthelezi stated that Mthethwa called the hotel on 15 September to make a booking.
“He made the booking for the 27th and the 28th, for two days. But he later changed those days to the 29th, which is a Monday, which is the day on which the ambassador booked into that hotel, which is the day on which the ambassador passed on.”
Investigations
Buthelezi said the body was discovered the following day.
“There is nothing that suggests to them (French authorities) that there could have been any foul play for now. So they came, they brought his jacket and the cap that he was wearing on that day.”
It was previously reported that the secured window in Mthethwa’s room on the 22nd had been forced open with a pair of scissors found at the scene.
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