South Africa’s ambassador to France, Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa, has been found dead at the foot of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Porte Maillot, west of Paris, French newspapers Le Parisien and Le Figaro reported on Tuesday.
Paris police declined to comment on the reports, while calls to the South African Embassy went unanswered. A receptionist at the Hyatt Regency also said the hotel would not comment.
According to Le Parisien, Mthethwa had earlier been reported missing by his wife, who raised concerns after receiving a troubling text message from him.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said it was aware of “unfortunate reports pertaining to Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa” and would issue a statement once official information was available.
Mthethwa, 57, previously served as South Africa’s Minister of Arts and Culture from 2014 to 2019, and later as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture until 2023, before his diplomatic posting to Paris.
