French Authorities Close Investigation Into Nathi Mthethwa's Death in Paris

• Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi confirmed on Friday, 18 September 2026, that French authorities concluded their probe into Mthethwa's death
• The Paris Prosecutor's Office found that Mthethwa, 58, died at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Paris on 30 September 2025 while serving as South Africa's ambassador to France
• Kubayi urged members of the public and media to stop spreading unverified information about the former ambassador's death

SOUTH AFRICA — The Paris Prosecutor's Office has formally closed its investigation into the death of former minister and South African ambassador Nathi Mthethwa, bringing an official end to months of public speculation surrounding his passing.

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi announced on Friday, 18 September 2026, that French authorities had completed their inquiry and confirmed the cause of death that Mthethwa's family had previously communicated to the public.

Kubayi calls for respect and privacy

Kubayi issued a firm appeal to the public and press against circulating unconfirmed claims about the circumstances of his death.

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"Members of the public and the media must refrain from circulating unfounded information," she said.

She also appealed for the family's privacy to be respected during what she described as a deeply difficult period.

"We must respect the dignity of the late Ambassador Mthethwa, as well as the Mthethwa family's right to closure and privacy," Kubayi said.

With the investigation now concluded, the closure also removes a legal obstacle that had previously complicated the administration and winding up of Mthethwa's estate.

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What the investigation found

Mthethwa, 58, died in Paris on 30 September 2025 while serving as South Africa's ambassador to France. According to the Paris Prosecutor's Office, he had checked into a room on the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency hotel in the French capital. His body was later discovered outside the building after a secured window in his hotel room had been forced open.

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Investigators had noted that Mthethwa's wife reported him missing the night before his body was found, following a message he sent her indicating that he intended to end his life. The Paris Prosecutor's Office has confirmed its findings are consistent with that account.

Tributes pour in for Mthethwa

Previously, Briefly News reported that tributes poured in for Mthethwa, who was a long-serving ANC politician who occupied some of the country's most prominent cabinet posts. As a former Police Minister and Arts and Culture Minister,his passing drew tributes from political figures across party lines, with his family requesting privacy throughout the period of public interest that followed. In 2023, he was appointed ambassador to France, a position he held until his death.

Source: Briefly News