French authorities have officially closed their investigation into the death of former Cabinet minister and South African ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa, nearly a year after he was found dead outside a Paris hotel.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi confirmed on Friday, 18 September, that the Paris Prosecutor’s Office had finalised the matter and that its official finding reaffirmed the cause of death previously communicated by Mthethwa’s family.
“The official finding by the French authorities reaffirms the cause of death previously communicated by the Mthethwa family,” Kubayi said.
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The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has also received documentation required by the Master of the High Court, clearing the way for the administration and finalisation of Mthethwa’s estate.
Kubayi called for an end to speculation surrounding the former ambassador’s death.
“Members of the public and the media must refrain from circulating unfounded information,” she said.
“We must respect the dignity of the late Ambassador Mthethwa, as well as the Mthethwa family’s right to closure and privacy.”
Mthethwa, 58, died in Paris on 30 September 2025 while serving as South Africa’s ambassador to France.
According to information released by the Paris Prosecutor’s Office at the time, Mthethwa had booked a room on the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile. His body was later discovered outside the hotel and investigators found that a secured window in the room had been forced open.
His wife had reported him missing the previous evening after receiving a message from him indicating that he intended to end his life.
French authorities initially opened an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. Early information from investigators indicated there were no signs of a struggle.
The circumstances nevertheless prompted questions in South Africa and from Mthethwa’s family, who sought further clarity over what had happened.
In October 2025, South Africa sent a team of senior police investigators to France to work with French authorities. The team was led by Western Cape Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Crime Detection Major-General Bongani Maqhashalala.
At the time, Mthethwa’s family welcomed the involvement of South African investigators and said it wanted a complete account of the circumstances surrounding his death.
The formal closure of the French investigation now brings that process to an end.
Mthethwa had a lengthy career in government and the African National Congress before entering the diplomatic service.
He served as Minister of Safety and Security from 2008 before becoming Minister of Police, a position he held until 2014. He subsequently served as Minister of Arts and Culture and later Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture.
He left Cabinet in 2023 and was appointed South Africa’s ambassador to France later that year, taking up the diplomatic posting in Paris in February 2024. He also served as South Africa’s permanent delegate to UNESCO.
Mthethwa remained ambassador until his death in September 2025.
