By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed a team of five investigators to France to assist in probing the death of South African Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa.
Mthethwa was found dead at the foot of the Hyatt Regency hotel in the western part of the French capital on Tuesday morning, 30 September 2025.
He had been reported missing on Monday evening, after his wife said she received a worrying message from him “in which he apologized and expressed his intention to take his own life,” Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement.
On Tuesday morning, a security guard at the Hyatt hotel discovered Mthethwa’s body in the inner courtyard, Beccuau said, adding an investigation has been opened.
Mthethwa had booked a room on the 22nd floor of the hotel, where the window’s safety mechanism had been forced open, Beccuau said. The statement said investigators found no signs of a struggle, nor traces of medication or illegal drugs.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia made an announcement through a statement released on Friday afternoon.
The team will be led by Major General Maqhashalala, the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection in the Western Cape.
Cachalia said the team will work closely with French law enforcement authorities to ensure the circumstances surrounding Mthethwa’s death are thoroughly and transparently investigated.
“This collaborative effort aims to support the ongoing inquest and uphold the principles of justice and accountability,” he said.
“The deployment of these investigators reflects our commitment to ensuring that every effort is made to establish the full facts surrounding this tragedy,” he said.
“We will offer all necessary support to our counterparts in France and remain in close contact with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) throughout the process.”
Cachalia also extended his condolences.
“We are devastated by the sudden and untimely passing of Ambassador Mthethwa, a dedicated public servant and patriot who served our nation with distinction in various capacities,” he said. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time.”
Mthethwa was a high-ranking member of the African National Congress (ANC), the party that brought in democratic rule in 1994 with Nelson Mandela as South Africa’s first black president.
He had been serving as South Africa’s ambassador to Paris since December 2023, and had previously been in government as police minister and also arts and culture minister.
[SRC] https://fullview.co.za/sa-sends-a-team-to-france-to-help-probe-nathi-mthethwas-death/
