By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South Africa’s ambassador to France, Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa, has been found dead in Paris, just a day after he was reported missing.
Fullview understands his body has been found today at the Hyatt Hotel in Paris.
The disappearance of Mthethwa was reported by his wife, “who indicated having received a worrying message from him in the evening,” the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
His body was eventually found nearby, “right above the Hayat Hotel,” according to the prosecutor. He had booked a room on the 22nd floor, whose secure window was forced open.”
It is understood police originally sent dogs from the canine brigade to the Bois de Boulogne – a park and bonatical garden in Paris where Mthethwa’s phone last pinged, but they were unable to locate him there. “Fearing a possible suicide, the police, supported by the dog squad, had searched the woods in western Paris,” the Paris Proesecutor’s office said.
Mthethwa made his last public appearances at the 109th Anniversary of the Battle of Delville Wood marked in Longueval, Departement de la Somme, on Saturday.
The Department of International Relations and Corporation (DIRCO) said they were “aware of unfortunate reports pertaining to Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa” and would issue a statement once there was official information.
An hour later, the department issued the statement, acknowledging and confirming the death, saying that it was untimely and a national loss.
It added that the circumstances around his death were under investigation by local French authorities.
President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to Mthethwa, describing his death as “premature and traumatic.”
“The untimely passing of Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa is a moment of deep grief in which government and citizens stand beside the Mthethwa family,” Ramaphosa said in a statement. “He has served our nation in diverse capacities during a lifetime that has ended prematurely and traumatically.”
Mthethwa, 58, had a storied career rooted in South Africa’s liberation struggle. He began as an anti-apartheid union activist and rose to become secretary of the ANC Youth League from 1994 to 2001. Entering Parliament in 2002, he chaired the mines and energy committee before serving as Minister of Safety and Security (later Police) under Presidents Kgalema Motlanthe and Jacob Zuma from 2008 to 2014. He then became Minister of Arts and Culture until 2019.
Appointed ambassador to France in February 2024, Mthethwa also served as South Africa’s delegate to UNESCO. His tenure focused on strengthening ties, but his sudden disappearance and death have stunned colleagues and the diplomatic community.
He survived by his wife, Philisiwe Buthelezi, a businesswoman and the chief executive officer of the National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and children.
*This story has been updated with latest statement from Dirco and Presidency.