South African Ambassador to France Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa was found dead on Tuesday at the base of the four-star Hyatt Regency Hotel in western Paris, French authorities confirmed.
Mthethwa, 58, was reported missing by his wife on Monday evening after she received a “worrying message” from him. The Paris prosecutor’s office said the high-floor hotel room’s secure window had been forced open, and a duty magistrate was dispatched to the scene to investigate.
The circumstances surrounding his death remain unclear. French authorities are conducting a full inquiry, with members of the Judiciary Police at the hotel as part of ongoing investigations. Local media reports suggest Mthethwa may have taken his own life, though officials have not confirmed this.
Mthethwa, a senior member of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC), had served in several government posts, including Minister of Arts and Culture and Minister of Police, before being appointed ambassador to France in December 2023. He was implicated in the Madlanga Commission, a national inquiry investigating widespread corruption and alleged collusion between politicians, police officials, and organised crime, including the so-called “Big Five” cartel.
During his tenure as police minister, Mthethwa faced allegations of political interference in police operations, including attempts to influence charges against a former head of South Africa’s police crime intelligence agency. He was also listed as a potential witness in ongoing investigations into corruption and misconduct within the police.
Prime Minister Jacob Zuma’s ally, Mthethwa had been a prominent figure in the ANC for decades and was involved in high-level politics in the KwaZulu-Natal region, where politically motivated killings have previously occurred.
Mthethwa was last seen publicly on Saturday, attending a military ceremony in northern France where he laid a wreath for a South African soldier killed during World War One.
French authorities continue to investigate the exact circumstances, while South African officials coordinate with their Paris embassy to manage the situation.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any U.S. military attack on Iran would spark a wider regional conflict, Iranian semi-of...
Israel has reopened Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt in what Israeli media described as a “pilot operation,” marking the first opening of...
Iran will treat the armies of European Union member states as “terrorist groups” in retaliation for the EU’s decision to list Iran’s Islamic R...
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has arrived in China for an official visit, where he is due to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ...
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington may be able to reach a deal with Cuba, days after he threatened tariffs on any country supplying the islan...
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any U.S. military attack on Iran would spark a wider regional conflict, Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.
Israel has reopened Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt in what Israeli media described as a “pilot operation,” marking the first opening of the crossing in two years.
Iran will treat the armies of European Union member states as “terrorist groups” in retaliation for the EU’s decision to list Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organisation, parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has arrived in China for an official visit, where he is due to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss international and regional security issues, Russian state media reported on Sunday.
Catherine O’Hara, the celebrated Canadian actress and comedy legend, has died at the age of 71, her publicist confirmed on Friday. She passed away at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness.
The U.S. Department of Justice on Friday made public more than three million pages of documents on Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender, including investigative records referencing Donald Trump, tech mogul Elon Musk and Britain’s former Duke of York, Prince Andrew.
The United Nations faces the risk of “imminent financial collapse” because of unpaid contributions, including substantial arrears from the United States, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned.
Vladimir Putin said Russia earned more than $15 billion from defence exports in 2025 and fulfilled all military-technical contracts despite what he described as growing pressure from Western countries.
Explosions shook parts of southern Lebanon on Friday night as Israeli strikes rippled across the Zahrani district, with the blasts travelling toward the coastal city of Sidon.
Israel has reopened Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt in what Israeli media described as a “pilot operation,” marking the first opening of the crossing in two years.
Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has arrived in China for an official visit, where he is due to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to discuss international and regional security issues, Russian state media reported on Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington may be able to reach a deal with Cuba, days after he threatened tariffs on any country supplying the island with oil.
Xi Jinping praised China–Algeria co-operation on Saturday following the successful launch of an Algerian remote sensing satellite from northwest China, calling it another milestone in bilateral space ties.
U.S. president Donald Trump said Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States and expressed hope that negotiations could lead to an outcome acceptable to Washington.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment