In a somber development, South Africa’s Ambassador to France was discovered deceased outside a Paris hotel on Tuesday, authorities in France have confirmed. The news has cast a pall over diplomatic circles.
The Paris prosecutor’s office announced that a formal investigation has been launched into the sudden passing of Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa.
According to their statement, Mr. Mthethwa had reserved a room on the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency hotel, situated on the western fringes of the French capital. Disturbingly, the window of his room was found forced open.
The tragic discovery comes just one day after Mr. Mthethwa’s wife reported him missing to the police on Monday, as stated by the prosecutor’s office.
South Africa’s foreign ministry has officially acknowledged Ambassador Mthethwa’s death, emphasizing that the circumstances surrounding this incident are currently under active investigation.
“His passing represents not only a profound national loss but also a deeply felt void within the international diplomatic community,” remarked Ronald Lamola, South Africa’s foreign minister, in a heartfelt statement.
At 58 years old, Mr. Mthethwa had assumed his role as Ambassador to France in 2024, having been appointed in 2023. Throughout his career, he was a prominent and influential figure within the African National Congress, South Africa’s ruling political party.
His journey in politics began at the tender age of 15, when he joined a youth organization actively resisting South Africa’s apartheid regime. He later became an integral part of the clandestine operations of the A.N.C., which was then outlawed by the white-minority government.
Following the dismantling of apartheid in 1994, Mr. Mthethwa steadily advanced within both his party and the government. He held significant positions, including a seat on the A.N.C.’s national executive committee—the party’s top decision-making body—and served as Minister of Police, and later as Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, before embarking on his ambassadorship in Paris.
The South African foreign ministry further conveyed that Mr. Mthethwa is survived by his devoted wife and children.