South African Ambassador to France Found Deceased in Paris

South African Ambassador to France, Mr. Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa, was found deceased on Tuesday at the foot of the Hyatt Regency hotel, a high-rise building located in the west of Paris, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.
Mr. Mthethwa had been reported missing by his wife on Monday evening after she received a text message from him that worried her, the prosecutor’s office stated, confirming earlier reports. He had booked a room on the 22nd floor of the hotel, where a secured window had been forced open. Authorities have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing and have stated they are unable to preempt its outcome.
While some reports have suggested the possibility of suicide, official sources have not confirmed this, and the matter remains under investigation.
South Africa’s foreign affairs department confirmed Mthethwa’s death, adding that the circumstances were under investigation by the French authorities.

“Ambassador Mthethwa was a distinguished servant of the nation, whose career was marked by dedicated service in critical ministerial portfolios,” the foreign affairs department said in a statement, calling his death “a national loss.”

According to the South African Embassy’s website, Mr. Mthethwa previously served as Minister of Arts and Culture from 2014 to 2019, and later held the expanded portfolio of Sports, Arts and Culture from 2019 to 2023.