The family of South Africa’s Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, has dismissed claims that he died by suicide, labelling the events leading to his death as deeply suspicious and demanding a full probe into what happened in Paris.
Mthethwa, aged 58, was found dead on 30 September 2025 outside the Hyatt Regency hotel, a towering structure in the city’s Porte Maillot area. His body lay in the inner courtyard after an apparent fall from the 22nd floor, where he had a room. French officials, including the Paris prosecutor’s office, have opened an inquiry treating the incident as a possible suicide. They noted a secured window in his room had been forced open, with no evidence of a fight, drugs, or medication at the scene. Earlier that evening, his wife reported him missing after receiving a troubling text message from him, which reportedly included apologies and hints of ending his life.
Back in KwaMbonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, relatives gathered at the family home expressed profound shock and disbelief. A spokesperson highlighted Mthethwa’s resilience, forged through years of apartheid-era torture as an ANC activist. He argued that such a man, hardened by struggle, would never choose to end his days amid mounting pressure from South Africa’s Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. There, former KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi had recently implicated Mthethwa in efforts to quash a corruption case against ex-Crime Intelligence head Richard Mdluli. The family raised pointed questions about the absence of Mthethwa’s security team during his disappearance, urging French police and South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation to leave no stone unturned.
This tragedy strikes at a time when South Africans grapple with trust in public institutions, especially amid ongoing probes into historical graft and police misconduct. Mthethwa’s path from anti-apartheid fighter to key government roles, including stints as Minister of Police, Arts and Culture, and Sports, Arts and Culture, made him a fixture in national life. Appointed ambassador in February 2024, he worked to deepen ties between Pretoria and Paris, efforts now cut short. President Cyril Ramaphosa led tributes, calling his passing a profound loss and offering condolences to the family, colleagues at the embassy, and the nation.
As inquiries proceed across borders, the family’s plea echoes a wider call for answers in cases that blur personal grief with public accountability. Clarity here could help mend fractures in how South Africans view leadership and loss on the global stage.
In my view, the family’s insistence on foul play merits serious attention, given Mthethwa’s stature and the timing tied to sensitive testimony. Suicide verdicts in high-profile deaths often close doors too quickly, overlooking patterns of pressure in political circles. While evidence so far points to no external force, the missing security detail alone warrants deeper scrutiny. For a nation still healing from past injustices, rushing to conclusions risks eroding faith in justice systems further. True respect for Mthethwa demands exhaustive checks, honouring his legacy of endurance.
