French police have begun investigating the death of South Africa’s ambassador to France, Nkosinathi Mthethwa, who was found dead in a Paris hotel.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Tuesday that an inquiry has been opened, with the Brigade for the Repression of Personal Crime (BRDP) leading the investigation. Preliminary reports suggest the 58-year-old diplomat may have plunged from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Hotel, though officials have not released further details.
Mthethwa’s wife had reported him missing on Monday evening after receiving a distressing message from him. His phone was last traced that afternoon near the Bois de Boulogne in Paris’s 16th arrondissement.
Appointed ambassador in February, Mthethwa also served as South Africa’s permanent delegate to UNESCO. His political career spanned several senior roles, including minister of sports, arts and culture; minister of police; and chair of the parliamentary committee on mines and energy.
South African and French officials are yet to issue formal statements as police continue their inquiries into the circumstances of his death.
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