30.09.2025 19:18
The body of Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa, the South African Ambassador to France who had been missing since yesterday, was found in front of a hotel in the capital, Paris. It has been claimed that the ambassador may have jumped from the 22nd floor of the hotel.
France was shaken by the death of South Africa's Ambassador to Paris, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa.
NO CONTACT WITH THE SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSADOR According to reports in the national press, Mthethwa's wife, Philisiwe Buthelezi, reported the situation to the authorities after receiving a concerning message from the Ambassador yesterday. The police conducted searches in the Boulogne Forest, where Mthethwa's phone last signaled at 3:00 PM local time yesterday, amid concerns that he might have committed suicide.
BODY FOUND IN FRONT OF HOTEL IN PARIS The Paris Prosecutor's Office announced that the lifeless body of 58-year-old Mthethwa, who had been missing since yesterday, was found in front of a hotel in the 17th district of Paris. An investigation has been launched regarding Mthethwa's death, and there is speculation that the Ambassador may have jumped from the 22nd floor of the hotel.
South Africa's Ambassador to Paris, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa STATEMENT FROM SOUTH AFRICA The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation issued a written statement regarding the death of Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa, who was found dead in Paris. The statement expressed that the South African government is deeply saddened and distressed by the death of Ambassador Mthethwa.
The statement noted that Mthethwa was a statesman who made significant contributions to public service, serving in the Ministry of Police, the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, and as a member of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organizing Committee, stating, "Throughout his life, he demonstrated his commitment to public service, as evidenced by his long-standing contributions to the highest decision-making bodies of the African National Congress (ANC)."
AMBASSADOR SINCE DECEMBER 2023 The statement indicated that the circumstances surrounding Mthethwa's death, who had been serving as South Africa's Ambassador to Paris since December 2023, are being investigated by French authorities, and it added: "The South African government extends its deepest and heartfelt condolences to Ambassador Mthethwa's family, friends, and colleagues during this time of great sorrow. The Ambassador leaves behind his wife and children. We honor the legacy he left to our nation with his unwavering patriotism and service."