South African ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa dies after 22-storey hotel fall

The South African ambassador to France, who was reported missing on Monday,has died in a fall from the 22nd floor of a hotel.

Emmanuel Nkosinathi Mthethwa's body was found today "right above the Hyatt hotel" at Porte Maillot, accroding to a statement by the Paris prosecutor's office.

The 58-year-old is believed to ghave jumoped from his room in the 4-star hotel, according to local media reports.

"He had booked a room on the 22nd floor, whose secure window was forced open," the Paris prosecutor's office said.

Mr Mthethwa also served as his country's Ambassador to Monaco and was South Africa's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.

The ambassador was reported missing by his wife on Monday, sparking a police investigation into his disappearance.

She told officers she had received a "worrying message" from him in the evening. Initial investigations show his phone was last used at around 3pm on Monday near the Bois de Boulogne in Paris.

Police launched a search for the South African diplomat, deploying teams with dogs to scour the wooded area in the west of Paris.

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.

The ambassador attended the 109th Anniversary of the Battle of Delville Wood in Longueval on Saturday in one of his last public appearances.

He was posted to the French Embassy in February 2024. He initially rose to prominence as a trade unionist during the anti-apartheid struggle.

Mr Mthethwa then became the organising secretary of the ANC Youth League in 1994, a position he held until 2001.

He continued his rise through the political ranks after being elected to South Africa's National Assembly in 2002.

While in parliament, he chaired the committee on mines and energy between 2004 and 2008, before being appointed Minister of Safety and Security in the Motlanthe government.

When Jacob Zuma came to power, he retained his government position at the now renamed Ministry of Police, until he was appointed Minister of Arts and Culture in Zuma's second term.

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