By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa is mourning the death of its ambassador to France and former Cabinet minister, Nathi Mthethwa, who died in Paris on Tuesday.
Mthethwa had been reported missing on Monday evening, after his wife said she received a worrying message from him “in which he apologized and expressed his intention to take his own life,” Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement.
On Tuesday morning, a security guard at the Hyatt hotel discovered Mthethwa’s body in the inner courtyard, Beccuau said, adding an investigation has been opened.
Mthethwa had booked a room on the 22nd floor of the hotel, where the window’s safety mechanism had been forced open, Beccuau said. The statement said investigators found no signs of a struggle, nor traces of medication or illegal drugs.
Tributes
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri described Mthethwa as “not merely a public official”, saying he was a committed cadre of the liberation struggle and a dedicated servant of the people in the democratic era.
“His life was one of both struggle and service. From the years of resistance, clandestine work and sacrifice, comrade Mthethwa contributed to the collective efforts that won our democracy. In the post-1994 era, he accepted the responsibilities of shaping the new South Africa,” she said.
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa described him as a professional and wise diplomat whose commitment “earned him the respect and admiration of colleagues and international partners alike”.
Holomisa recalled how Mthethwa, through the South African Embassy in Paris, provided “vital logistical support, mobility arrangements and a comprehensive briefing” during his visit to France in June 2025.
“His guidance and insights were invaluable in ensuring that our engagements were well prepared, strategically aligned, and impactful in representing South Africa’s interests,” Holomisa said.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) spokesperson, Mbulelo Mandlana, says Mthethwa’s contribution within the alliance made him one of the outstanding cadres of the movement.
ANC NEC member, Dr Malusi Gigaba, has sent condolences to the family of the late South African ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa. Gigaba says he and Mthethwa grew up as young activists of the ANC in KZN, where he saw his dedication and commitment to freedom and liberation.
International Relations spokesperson Chrispin Phiri has urged the public not to speculate on the cause of death until French authorities release an official report.
Biography
Mthethwa was the Minister of Arts and Culture from 26 May 2014 to 2019. From 2019 to 2023, he served as the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture.
Between 2007 and 2022, he served as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress (ANC), the party’s chief executive organ and highest decision-making body between conferences. During the same period, he was a member of the National Working Committee (NWC) of South Africa’s governing party. The NWC is responsible for the day-to-day running of the party and makes recommendations to the NEC.
From 2002 to 2023, he was a Member of Parliament.
He was an active member of the King Dingiswayo branch of the ANC in KwaZulu Natal (KZN).He was elected as the first Branch Secretary of the ANC in Klaarwater in KZN in 1990.
He joined the Klaarwater Youth Organisation from the age of 15 in KZN, rising to the role of Chairperson of the Klaarwater Youth Organisation from 1987 to 1989.
He has also served as a shopsteward of the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), where he was recruited to serve in the underground work of the ANC’s military wing, uMkhonto We Sizwe, as part of Operation Vula from 1988.
He was arrested during the apartheid regime’s state of emergency in 1989. He was later elected Publicity Secretary of the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) in Southern Natal and as Chairperson of the Southern Natal Unemployed Workers Union, an initiative of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) between 1989 and 1990, respectively.
Between 1996 and 1998, he was Organiser for the South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (SACCAWU). In 1996 he was elected Chairperson of Klaarwater Residents Association.
He became Regional Administrative Secretary of the Southern Natal African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) from 1990 to 1991. Between 1991 and 1994 he became the Regional Secretary of the Southern Natal ANCYL.
He was elected to the NEC of the ANCYL, serving in its NWC as Secretary for Organisation from 1994 to 1996. From 1996 to 1998, he was re-elected to the NEC of the ANCYL. His re-election into the NEC of the ANCYL from 1998 to 2001 saw him occupy a new role as Head of Organisational Development, which incorporated political education and organising functions. He was deployed into the ANC National Organising team during the period 2001 to 2002.
During his tenure as a Member of Parliament, Mthethwa served as Chairperson of the Minerals and Energy Portfolio Committee from 2004 to 2008, and as Chief Whip of the ANC in 2008.
Prior to his appointment as Minister of Police, Mthethwa was the Minister of Safety and Security from 25 September 2008 to 10 May 2009.
With inputs from various news agencies.