By Desmond Nleya
South Africa has dispatched a team of elite investigators to Paris to assist French authorities in uncovering the circumstances surrounding the death of Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa.
The 58-year-old diplomat’s body was found on Tuesday morning in the inner courtyard of the Hyatt Regency Hotel after reportedly falling from the 22nd floor.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed that five senior officers have been assigned to collaborate closely with their French counterparts to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation.
Mthethwa’s wife reported him missing on Monday after receiving what authorities described as a “disturbing message” from him. According to a French prosecutor, the note expressed his apologies and intentions to end his life. Although some concerns of foul play have surfaced, initial findings point towards the possibility of a deliberate act.
Mthethwa had a long and eventful public service career, though it was marred by several controversies. A close ally of former President Jacob Zuma, who faces corruption charges, Mthethwa was implicated in multiple judicial inquiries.
As Police Minister, he oversaw the 2012 Marikana massacre, when 34 striking miners were shot dead by police — one of the darkest chapters in South Africa’s democratic history.
Just two weeks before his death, he was named in explosive testimony before the Madlanga Commission, which is investigating political interference in policing. KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkwananzi accused him of obstructing justice during his tenure in 2011.
The commission has not confirmed whether Mthethwa had been contacted to testify.
His family is currently awaiting the completion of repatriation procedures to bring his remains back to South Africa.
