Remains of South Africa’s Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa to Be Repatriated Thursday

Paris / Pretoria – October 7, 2025

The body of South Africa’s ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, will be flown back home on Thursday, authorities and his family have confirmed.

French authorities granted the release permit on Monday after performing a post-mortem examination, according to eNCA. The family had earlier confirmed their intention to hold the funeral over the weekend, pending repatriation.

Mthethwa, aged 58, died under uncertain circumstances after falling from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Paris last week.

In a statement, family spokesperson Sfiso Buthelezi said the permit from French authorities allows them to move Mthethwa’s body from the government mortuary to a private mortuary, and to repatriate it. Buthelezi said the family hopes to depart Paris Thursday and arrive in South Africa Friday.

While the post-mortem has been completed, the full autopsy report has not yet been made public. South African authorities have deployed a team of senior investigators to France to assist in the inquiry.

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has called for an urgent meeting with senior police officials to ensure transparency in the investigation. The South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson also confirmed the deployment of investigators to coordinate with French law enforcement.

The Mthethwa family has welcomed the decision to bring him home. “Finally our brother, the patriot ambassador Mthethwa, will be able to go back to South Africa, to his motherland … to be united with his forefathers,” said Buthelezi.

At present, details about the funeral, including its date, venue, and whether it will receive official state status, are still pending.