South Africa’s ambassador to France Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa was found dead at the Hyatt Regency hotel in western Paris, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed. Mthethwa, a former South African cabinet minister, had been reported missing by his wife on Monday evening after she received a troubling text message from him.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the ambassador had booked a room on the 22nd floor of the hotel, where investigators later found a secured window had been forced open.
“An investigation is ongoing and we cannot preempt its outcome,” the office said.
French newspaper Le Parisien reported that Mthethwa was believed to have died by suicide, though authorities have not officially confirmed the cause.
South Africa’s
foreign affairs department confirmed Mthethwa’s death, describing it as “a national loss” and saying French authorities were handling the investigation.
“Ambassador Mthethwa was a distinguished servant of the nation, whose career was marked by dedicated service in critical ministerial portfolios,” the department said in a statement.
Before his diplomatic posting, Mthethwa served as South Africa’s minister of arts and culture from 2014 to 2019, later overseeing both sport and culture from 2019 to 2023, according to the embassy’s website.
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