South Africa is mourning the sudden death of its ambassador to France, Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa, who was found dead in Paris on Tuesday. French police confirmed that the 58-year-old diplomat was discovered at the foot of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Porte Maillot, where he had booked a room on the 22nd floor. According to French media reports, Mthethwa’s wife raised the alarm on Monday after receiving a troubling text message from him. Police later traced his phone signal to the nearby Bois de Boulogne, but he could not be located. Investigators say the window in his hotel room had been forced open before his body was found by hotel staff around 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his condolences to Mthethwa’s widow, Philisiwe Buthelezi, and his family, calling the death both “premature and traumatic.” He praised Mthethwa’s lifelong service, noting “In his last tenure of service, he facilitated the deepening of relations between South Africa and France, producing benefits for our people and strengthening cooperation in the global arena.”
Mthethwa was appointed Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO in March 2024, capping decades of political service. He began his activism as a member of the ANC Youth League in 1990 and rose to its National Executive Committee in 1994, serving until 2001. After entering parliament in 2002, he became ANC Chief Whip in 2008. From 2008 to 2023, he held several ministerial portfolios, including Safety and Security, Arts and Culture, and later Sports, Arts, and Culture.
The African National Congress described him as “a committed cadre of the liberation struggle and a dedicated servant of the people.” Authorities in Paris have opened an investigation into the circumstances of his death.
