South Africa Dispatches SAPS Team to France on Nathi Mthethwa’s Death
Authorities Work with French Officials as Family Awaits Full Autopsy Report
Johannesburg, South Africa – October 3, 2025
South Africa has deployed a team from the South African Police Service (SAPS) to France to assist in the investigation into the death of Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa.
The 58-year-old diplomat was found deceased on September 30, 2025, after falling from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile hotel. French authorities suspect suicide, citing a distressing message he sent to his wife the previous evening and evidence of tampering with the room’s window safety mechanism.
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Firoz Cachalia, confirmed the deployment, emphasizing South Africa’s commitment to uncovering the full circumstances surrounding Mthethwa’s death. The team will collaborate with French authorities and maintain close coordination with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).
The incident has stirred public speculation and conspiracy theories, partly due to Mthethwa’s controversial political past. As Minister of Police during the 2012 Marikana massacre, he faced scrutiny over his role in the incident, though he was later cleared by a formal inquiry.
Additionally, his name surfaced in the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into corruption in South Africa’s justice system, where he was accused of pressuring police to drop charges against former crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli.
The South African government has pledged to conduct a thorough investigation, including potentially requesting a second autopsy upon repatriation of Mthethwa’s body.
The family has rejected unverified claims, such as suicide narratives, until the full report is available. The Paris embassy has opened a book of condolences for public tributes, which will remain accessible until October 8.
