South Africa has been thrown into mourning after its ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, was found dead in Paris following a fall from a high-rise hotel.
French newspaper Le Parisien reported that the 58-year-old diplomat is believed to have plunged from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Monday night. Prosecutors confirmed that Mthethwa’s wife had alerted authorities after receiving a “worrying message,” leading her to report him missing.
A room booked in his name was later discovered at the hotel, where investigators found a security window forced open. The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched a full inquiry, with the city’s Brigade for the Repression of Personal Crime taking charge of the case. Officials stressed that all possible scenarios remain under investigation.
South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola described Mthethwa as a “distinguished servant of the nation,” calling his death both a personal tragedy and a national loss. “His passing will be deeply felt across the diplomatic community,” Lamola said.
Appointed ambassador to Paris in December 2023, Mthethwa also represented South Africa as its permanent delegate to UNESCO. His political career stretched back more than two decades. He chaired parliament’s mines and energy committee, later served as police minister, and eventually became minister of sports, arts, and culture.
Mthethwa was a prominent figure in the African National Congress (ANC), widely known as a close ally of former president Jacob Zuma. He was among those named in the state capture inquiry into widespread corruption during Zuma’s presidency, a chapter that brought controversy to his otherwise influential career.
The shock of his sudden death has reverberated through South Africa’s political and diplomatic circles. Colleagues described him as a seasoned, if polarising, statesman whose influence on national policy and governance was felt for decades.
The circumstances of his final hours remain unclear. French prosecutors said no conclusion has been reached and that foul play has not been ruled out.
