Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa, South Africa’s ambassador to France and a former long-serving cabinet minister, was found dead on Tuesday in the courtyard of the upscale Hyatt hotel in Paris. The Paris prosecutor’s office is investigating the death as a possible suicide.
Mthethwa, 58, a close ally of former South African President Jacob Zuma, had booked a room on the 22nd floor, where a secured window was found forced open with scissors at the scene. His wife last saw him on Monday afternoon before he attended a cocktail event. Later that evening, she received a message in which he apologized and expressed his intent to end his life, according to prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
“Initial investigations point to a deliberate act with no third-party involvement,” Beccuau stated, noting that the investigation will continue to gather all relevant details.
Mthethwa, who became ambassador in December 2023, was described by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as having served the nation in various roles during a life that “ended prematurely and traumatically.” Ramaphosa expressed solidarity with Mthethwa’s family, and a South African ministerial statement confirmed that French authorities are investigating the circumstances of his death.
Mthethwa’s extensive career included serving as South Africa’s Minister of Culture (2014–2019), Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture (until 2023), Police Minister (2009–2014), and Security Minister (2008–2009). He also held a position on the board of the 2010 FIFA World Cup local organizing committee. A senior official in the African National Congress (ANC) from 2007 to 2022, Mthethwa was active in the ANC’s military wing during apartheid and was arrested during the 1989 state of emergency.
