Diplomat found dead after 'disturbing message': South African envoy to France dies in Paris hotel; probe underway

South Africa’s ambassador to France , Nkosinathi Emmanuel “Nathi” Mthethwa, was found dead at the foot of a high-rise hotel in Paris on Tuesday, hours after being reported missing, officials confirmed.

The envoy, 58, had booked a room on the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Hotel, and authorities said the secure window of the room had been forced open.

Mthethwa’s wife had reported him missing on Monday after receiving a “disturbing message” from the diplomat, the Paris prosecutor’s office said, CNN reported

South Africa’s Foreign Ministry expressed “deep sorrow and profound regret” over Mthethwa’s death , extending condolences to his family. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola described the loss as not only national but also felt within the international diplomatic community.

President Cyril Ramaphosa eulogized the ambassador on social media, noting that Mthethwa had “served our nation in diverse capacities during a lifetime that has ended prematurely and traumatically.”

Mthethwa was appointed South Africa’s ambassador to France in December 2023. Before his diplomatic posting, he served as a member of parliament and as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, according to his official embassy profile.

The circumstances surrounding Mthethwa’s death remain under investigation, with Parisian authorities looking into the events leading up to the incident.