Zuko Komisa
- French authorities have officially closed the investigation into the death of former South African ambassador Nathi Mthethwa.
- Police concluded that Mthethwa died by suicide after falling from a 22nd-floor Paris hotel balcony last September.
- Diplomatic ties remain unaffected, with France already approving South Africa’s newly appointed ambassador.
French authorities have officially closed their investigation into the death of Nathi Mthethwa, the former South African ambassador to France.
Investigators concluded that Mthethwa died by suicide, and no further inquiries are planned.
Mthethwa died last September after falling from the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Paris.
France’s ambassador to South Africa, David Martinon, confirmed that the French judicial police reached their conclusion shortly after the incident and shared their findings directly with Mthethwa’s widow.
In a statement addressing the aftermath, Martinon emphasised that the tragedy has not harmed bilateral relations:
“Ties between the two countries remain strong, and we have already begun engaging ahead of Cyril Ramaphosa’s upcoming visit to France.”
France has already approved South Africa’s newly appointed ambassador, whom Martinon described as an experienced diplomat.
With the investigation now formally resolved, both nations are focusing on their continued diplomatic engagements.
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