SA Ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa Confirmed Dead, His Body was Found at Hotel

• Former Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has been confirmed dead after his body was found at the Hyatt Hotel in Paris
• A French publication has reported that the South African ambassador to France had gone missing, and an investigation into his disappearance had been launched
• Mthethwa, the former Minister of Police and Sports, Arts and Culture, was on the list of potential witnesses to testify before the Ad hoc committee established to probe General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's allegations

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

PARIS, FRANCE — South Africa's ambassador to France and former Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has died. His body was found at the Hyatt Hotel on 30 September 2025. This was after he was reported missing, according to a French publication. He was last seen on 29 September 2025.

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According to a United Kingdom publication, The Mirror, Mthethwa died from a fall from the 22nd floor of the hotel. The publication reported that the French police searched the woods in Western Paris and did not find his body. There has been no official communication from the South African government.

French publication Le Parisien earlier reported that Mthethwa allegedly vanished in Paris, and the Paris Police have mobilised resources to find him. The police's preliminary report stated that his mobile phone last stopped working in the vicinity of the Bois de Boulogne in Paris. The police suspect that he may have taken his life.

What happened to Mthethwa?

Mthethwa's wife reported him missing after she received a worrying message from him in the evening. He booked a room on the 22nd floor, and the secure windows were forced open. Mthethwa made his final public appearance at the 109th Anniversary of the Battle of Delville Wood in Longueval on 27 September.

The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) confirmed his death. The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation said that Mthethwa was a servant of the people. He described his death as a loss.

The African National Congress paid tribute to Mthethwa following his death. The party's spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, released a statement. The ANC expressed its deep sadness, and she extended the party's condolences to the family.

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Nathi Mthehwa's former advisor reacts to his cause of death: "It does not speak of the man that I knew"

Briefly News speaks to Mthethwa's friend

A friend of the late Minister expressed shock and grief over the news. Speaking to Briefly News, they shared that friends and family would remember Mthethwa (Bab’ Nyambose) as a good man.

Mthethwa implicated at Madlanga Commission

In a related article, Briefly News reported that KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi implicated Nathi Mthethwa during his testimony. He accused Mthethwa of interfering with police operations.

Mkhwanazi said that Mthethwa influenced the former Inspector-General of Intelligence, Faith Radebe, to withdraw the criminal case against former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdlulu. Mdluli was accused of abusing the police's secret slush fund.

Source: Briefly News