Family rejects suicide claims in death of South African ambassador Nathi Mthethwa in Paris.
The family of South African Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, has firmly rejected reports suggesting he died by suicide after allegedly falling from the 22nd floor of a Paris hotel on September 30, 2025.
Relatives, speaking from his home in KwaMbonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, described the circumstances surrounding his death as “mysterious” and called for a thorough investigation.
Khulekani Mthethwa, a family spokesperson, emphasized that Nathi Mthethwa had endured torture under the apartheid regime and would not have taken his own life to avoid the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry after being named by General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
He questioned the whereabouts of the ambassador’s security detail during his disappearance and subsequent death.
The family has urged both French authorities and South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.
French authorities are investigating the death as a suspected suicide.
Ambassador Mthethwa had reportedly sent an apologetic message to his wife the night before his death, expressing intentions to end his life.
The window in his hotel room had been tampered with, and no signs of struggle or drug use were found.
Mthethwa, 58, had a distinguished political career, serving as Minister of Police, Minister of Arts and Culture, and Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture.
He was appointed as South Africa’s Ambassador to France in February 2024.
His death has prompted tributes from colleagues and officials, including President Cyril Ramaphosa, who praised his contributions to strengthening South Africa-France relations.
The family’s call for a full investigation underscores the need for clarity and transparency regarding the circumstances of Ambassador Mthethwa’s untimely death.
