JOHANNESBURG – The remains of South African Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Friday morning. His body was repatriated from Paris following his death on 30 September 2025, eNCA reports.
His remains were received at by family members and officials. From there, the body will be transported to King Shaka International Airport in Durban. A procession will then proceed to the family home in KwaMbonambi, KwaZulu-Natal. A Category 2 official special funeral is scheduled for Sunday, 12 October 2025.
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Mthethwa’s body was discovered outside a luxury hotel in the French capitol. Initial reports suggest that Mthethwa fell from the 22nd floor of the hotel, though French authorities have not yet officially confirmed the exact circumstances surrounding his death.
The incident has prompted investigations by both French and South African authorities.
Mthethwa served as South Africa’s Minister of Arts and Culture from 2014 to 2019 and as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture from 2019 to 2023. He was a Member of Parliament from 2002 to 2023 and held key leadership roles within the African National Congress (ANC), serving on its National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working Committee (NWC) between 2007 and 2022.
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