South Africa’s ambassador to France plunged to his death from the 22nd floor of a Paris hotel on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, after his wife reported him missing following a worrying text message, French prosecutors confirmed.
Emmanuel Nkosinathi “Nathi” Mthethwa, 58, was found dead at the foot of the Hyatt Regency hotel in western Paris. The Paris prosecutor’s office stated that a secured window in his hotel room had been forced open during the incident.
Mthethwa’s wife contacted authorities on Monday evening after receiving a text message from her husband that caused her concern. Police initially conducted a search of the Bois de Boulogne park area using canine units, where the ambassador’s phone had last registered a signal, but were unable to locate him there.
The Paris prosecutor’s office indicated that an investigation was ongoing and officials would not preempt its outcome. French media outlets, including Le Parisien, reported that investigators believed Mthethwa likely died by suicide, though no official source was cited for this assessment.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa described Mthethwa’s death as “a moment of deep grief” for the nation. The president noted that Mthethwa had served South Africa in diverse capacities during a lifetime that ended prematurely and traumatically.
The ambassador had been appointed to his position in February 2024 and also served as South Africa’s permanent delegate to UNESCO. His diplomatic career followed extensive government service, including roles as Minister of Police from 2009 to 2014, Minister of Arts and Culture from 2014 to 2019, and Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture from 2019 to 2023.
Mthethwa’s death occurred amid his involvement in a significant corruption inquiry in South Africa. The Madlanga Commission, a judicial inquiry into alleged corruption, criminality and political interference in the country’s criminal justice system, had recently begun its work.
Two weeks before his death, Nhlanhla Mkwanazi, the provincial police commissioner in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, testified before the commission. Mkwanazi alleged that during Mthethwa’s tenure as national police minister, he had interfered in an investigation by requesting the Inspector General of Intelligence to drop all charges against a head of criminal intelligence.
The commission has been examining allegations involving a drug cartel known as the “Big Five,” which Crime Intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo testified had infiltrated every aspect of police and politics in South Africa. The cartel allegedly engaged in contract killings, drug trafficking, hijackings and fraud. Mthethwa was reportedly among three police ministers accused of political interference during their time in office, all from the KwaZulu-Natal region where political killings are common.
Reports indicated that Mthethwa was on a list of witnesses scheduled to be questioned about alleged corruption and misconduct within the police force. A veteran African National Congress official expressed disbelief that Mthethwa would have taken his own life, according to South African media reports.
Mthethwa had made his final public appearance on Saturday, September 28, during a ceremony at a military cemetery in northern France. At the event, he laid a wreath for a South African soldier killed during World War I, commemorating the 109th anniversary of the Battle of Delville Wood in Longueval.
The ambassador’s political career began in the anti-apartheid trade union movement. He served as a member of the African National Congress’s military wing and was arrested by the apartheid regime in 1989. Between 2007 and 2022, he held positions on the party’s National Executive Committee and National Working Committee.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation described Mthethwa as a distinguished servant of the nation whose career was marked by dedicated service in critical ministerial portfolios. The department characterized his death as a national loss and confirmed that French authorities were investigating the circumstances.
International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola stated that he had no doubt Mthethwa’s passing represented not only a national loss but was also felt within the international diplomatic community. The South African embassy in Paris remained unreachable on Tuesday morning as the investigation continued.
The Brigade for the Suppression of Crimes Against Persons of the Paris judicial police has launched an investigation into the incident. A duty magistrate traveled to the scene, and relatives of the deceased were questioned by authorities as part of the ongoing inquiry.