The death of former South African minister and ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, has been officially confirmed as a suicide, following revelations that he sent a distressing farewell message to his wife, Philisiwe Buthelezi, the day before his body was discovered.
He was 58.
RELATED | Nathi Mthethwa’s wife: Who is woman he left a ‘suicide note’ for?
According to the Paris Prosecutor’s Office, Buthelezi raised the alarm on Monday, 29 September, after receiving a message in which Mthethwa apologised and stated his intention to end his life.
She had last seen him earlier that afternoon before he was expected at a cocktail event.
Window forced open
On the morning of Tuesday, 30 September, a security guard at the Hyatt Hotel in Porte Maillot, Paris, found Mthethwa’s body in the hotel’s interior courtyard at approximately 11:10.
Investigators confirmed he had booked a room on the 22nd floor, where a secured window had been forced open.
Scissors were also found at the scene, though their significance remains unclear.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated that early findings indicate the act was deliberate, with no evidence of foul play or third-party involvement.
Allegations of Political Interference
Mthethwa’s death occurred just two weeks after his name resurfaced in a high-profile inquiry into political interference in policing.
Testifying before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged that Mthethwa, while serving as Minister of Police in 2011, pressured him to abandon an investigation into then-Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.
Mdluli had been accused of abusing a secret slush fund, but Mkhwanazi claimed that Mthethwa directly ordered him to halt the case, accusing him of improperly influencing the inspector-general of intelligence.
“It was the worst political interference I had ever experienced,” Mkhwanazi told the commission, revealing that the conflict ultimately led him to step down as acting national police commissioner.
Legacy and Reaction
Mthethwa was a prominent figure in post-apartheid South African politics.
He began his career in the anti-apartheid trade union movement, later rising through the ranks of the ANC Youth League and serving in multiple cabinet roles, including as Minister of Police and Minister of Arts and Culture.
He was appointed Ambassador to France in early 2024, also representing South Africa at UNESCO.
News of his death has sparked shock and grief, both in South Africa and abroad, with tributes expected from political allies and opponents alike.
A full investigation is underway by French authorities, while the South African government is expected to coordinate with officials in Paris on repatriation and memorial arrangements.
