South Africa's Ambassador to France found dead in Paris after apparent fall from hotel window

South Africa's ambassador to France has been found dead at the foot of the Hyatt Regency hotel, a high-rise tower in Porte Maillot in the west of Paris, newspapers Le Parisien and Le Figaro reported on Tuesday. 

According to French media reports, Ambassador Nkosinathi Emmanuel "Nathi" Mthethwa, 58, had been missing since Monday afternoon and is believed to have jumped from the 22nd floor of the hotel in the French capital's 17th arrondissement at around 1 pm on Tuesday.

Paris Police and the Hyatt have declined to comment. Calls to the South African Embassy have not been answered.

The ambassador had been reported missing by his wife after she received a text message from him that worried her, Le Parisien reported. His telephone was traced to the Bois de Boulogne but he remained missing.

A spokesperson at South Africa's foreign affairs department said they were "aware of unfortunate reports pertaining to Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa" and would issue a statement once there was official information. 

Mthethwa attended the 109th Anniversary of the Battle of Delville Wood in Longueval, Department de la Somme, on Saturday. 

Distinguished career

Mthethwa was appointed South Africa's Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO in March 2024.

An anti-apartheid activist, he joined the Youth League of South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) in 1990 and was elected to its National Executive Committee in 1994, where he served as secretary until 2001.

He entered parliament in 2002 and was appointed Chief Whip of the ANC in 2008. He went on to hold a number of ministerial positions between 2008 and 2023, including Minister of Arts and Culture, adding sports to his portfolio from 2019 to 2023.