In news that has shocked the nation, SA’s ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, was found dead in Paris on Tuesday. He was 58.
French investigators say the former cabinet minister’s body was discovered in the courtyard of the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile hotel, where he’d been staying on the 22nd floor.
On Monday, Mthethwa’s wife reported him missing after receiving a troubling message where he apologised and hinted at ending his life. A note addressed to her was found in his room.
Police investigators claim the hotel window had been forced open with scissors, but there were no signs of drugs, a struggle, or third-party involvement. Prosecutors are leaning toward death by suicide, though the Paris judicial police are still piecing together details.
An ANC stalwart, Mthethwa was arrested in 1989 for his anti-apartheid activities. Post-1994, he rose through the ranks, serving as police minister (2009–2014), arts and culture minister (2014–2019), and later sports, arts and culture minister until 2023. In December 2023, he was appointed ambassador to France and UNESCO delegate, tasked with deepening SA’s international ties.
But Mthethwa’s sudden death raises serious questions—not just about what happened in Paris, but about unresolved issues back home.
His career was marred by controversy, notably the 2012 Marikana massacre, where police killed 34 striking miners under his watch as police minister, sparking calls for his resignation.
In 2022, as sports, arts, and culture minister, he championed the R22-million “monumental flag” project, pitched as a “nation-building symbol”. The plan, which included a 100-meter flagpole, drew massive backlash for its extravagance in a country grappling with unemployment, inequality, and hunger. The public outcry was so intense that President Ramaphosa stepped in, scrapping the project entirely, with Mthethwa conceding it had become “divisive” rather than unifying (it was a R22-million flag after all).
More recently, the Madlanga Commission, probing corruption in SA’s justice system, heard testimony accusing him of shielding ex-crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli from prosecution while police minister.
He was expected to testify soon, fuelling online speculation about possible foul play. French prosecutors, however, insist no such evidence has been found.
