Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa’s body set for repatriation following Paris death

Zuko Komisa

The body of former South African Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa will be repatriated this week after French authorities concluded forensic probing into his death last Monday in a Paris hotel.
The family confirmed they have custody of the 58-year-old’s remains, which are expected to arrive in South Africa by Friday, despite the full cause of death report not yet being released.
Repatriation was cleared following a post-mortem and comes as the circumstances of his passing remain under police investigation, prompting a high-level meeting with the South African Justice Minister.

The body of Nathi Mthethwa, the former South African Ambassador to both France and Monaco, is expected to be repatriated to his home country this week, his family has confirmed.

The 58-year-old diplomat passed away at a hotel in Paris last Monday, with the circumstances surrounding his death still the subject of a police investigation. However, the Mthethwa family has now been informed that French authorities have concluded all forensic examinations of his remains.

The news follows calls for swift action in South Africa, including an urgent meeting convened by Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi with senior members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) to discuss the matter.

The family spokesperson, Sfiso Buthelezi, confirmed that the post-mortem had been completed and they had been granted full custody of the body.

“Today, the family was given permission to remove the body of Ambassador Mthethwa out of the government mortuary… and we also received permission to repatriate the remains of Ambassador Mthethwa from Paris to South Africa,” Mr. Buthelezi stated.

While the full report detailing the exact cause of death has yet to be released, the focus has now shifted to bringing the former Ambassador home.

Mr. Buthelezi added that the family anticipates the journey will begin on Thursday, with the body arriving in South Africa by Friday.

Details regarding the funeral are pending, as the family awaits confirmation from President Cyril Ramaphosa regarding the status and scale of the service. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has previously indicated that it is relying on the ongoing investigation to determine the nature of the Ambassador’s death.