Who was Nathi Mthethwa? South African president Cyril Ramaphosa pays tribute to ambassador

Mr Mthethwa has been a central figure in South African politics for more than two decades.

Nathi Mthethwa was found dead aged 58. Picture: Alamy

South Africa’s ambassador to France has reportedly been found dead less than 24 hours after going missing.

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Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa was reported to have vanished last night, but local media have now reported a body has been found outside the famous Hyatt Hotel in Porte Maillot. Mr Mthethwa is believed to have jumped from the 22nd floor of the four-star hotel, according to Le Parisien. Local officials told the outlet Mr Mthethwa had sent "a worrying message from him in the evening" - the contents of which are yet to be revealed. Read more: At least one dead and 65 trapped after school building collapses in Indonesia

France, Paris, the refurbished Porte Maillot, the Palais des Congres de Paris, the tramway station and the Hyatt Regency Hotel tower. Picture: Alamy

The Paris Prosecutor's office said: "His phone last rang around 3pm on Monday near the Bois de Boulogne in Paris (16th arrondissement). Fearing a possible suicide, the police, supported by the dog squad, had searched the woods in western Paris." Mr Mthethwa was named South Africa’s ambassador to France in 2024 and previously served as the Minister of Arts and Culture of the Republic of South Africa from May 2014 to 2019. His death was called a "national loss" by South Africa's foreign affairs department. The department also said in a statement: "Ambassador Mthethwa was a distinguished servant of the nation, whose career was marked by dedicated service in critical ministerial portfolios."

The untimely passing of Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa is a moment of deep grief in which government and citizens stand beside the Mthethwa family.

Ambassador Mthethwa has served our nation in diverse capacities during a lifetime that has ended prematurely and traumatically.

In his… pic.twitter.com/mtk0Hpkn80 — Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) September 30, 2025