Nine months after South African ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa died in Paris, questions remain unanswered as French authorities have yet to release a final report on the circumstances surrounding his death.
Mthethwa (58) was found dead in the inner courtyard of the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile hotel on the morning of 30 September 2025. His body was discovered by a security guard shortly after 11:00.
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, Mthethwa had booked a room on the 22nd floor of the hotel on the western edge of the French capital. The room’s window had been forced open with scissors that were left at the scene.
Mthethwa’s wife, Philisiwe Buthelezi, had reported him missing to police the previous evening after receiving a message from him expressing his intention to end his life. The Paris prosecutor confirmed that Mthethwa left a suicide note addressed to his wife.
Initial findings and investigation
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said investigators found no signs of a struggle at the scene, nor any evidence that drugs or medication had been involved.
“Whilst initial investigations suggest that this may have been a deliberate act, without the involvement of a third party, the purpose of this investigation is to gather any information that may be useful in understanding what happened,” Beccuau said in a statement.
French authorities conducted a preliminary probe and stated they were fully confident the death resulted from suicide with no third-party involvement. Officials noted that Mthethwa was the only individual to enter his hotel room before or after checking in.
No final report released
Despite initial findings, no formal final report from the death inquest has been made public yet. The case is believed to be considered closed after the probe revealed no foul play in Mthethwa’s death.
A French government official, speaking on condition of anonymity in November 2025, said: “The French police responded by saying that they were 100% sure that the death was a result of a suicide, and there is no foul play whatsoever. There is no further evidence to suggest the death was a result of foul play.”
The Mthethwa family previously stated that they would only find closure once they knew the exact cause of his death. They travelled to France to view his body and conduct traditional rituals before bringing his remains back to South Africa for burial.
Background and controversies
Mthethwa served as South Africa’s ambassador to France from December 2023 until his death. Before his diplomatic posting, he held several high-level government positions, including minister of police (2009–2014) and minister of sports, arts and culture (2014–2023).
At the time of his death, Mthethwa had been implicated at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry for political interference during his time as police minister. He was also reportedly on a list of witnesses to be questioned by Parliament’s ad hoc committee into alleged misconduct, collusion and corruption in the police.
During commission hearings, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi testified that Mthethwa had attempted to influence the inspector general of intelligence, Faith Radebe, to drop charges against Richard Mdluli, a former head of police crime intelligence.
President Cyril Ramaphosa this week appointed Ayanda Dlodlo as Mthethwa’s successor to the Paris posting, a decision that has drawn criticism given Dlodlo’s own controversial past.
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