The South African ambassador to France tragically passed away after falling from the 22nd floor of a hotel following his disappearance. Emmanuel Nkosinathi Mthethwa went missing, and his body was discovered at the Hyatt Hotel in Paris, where he had booked a room on the 22nd floor. The secure window of the room was found to be forced open, leading to his fatal fall.
Initially, police deployed dogs from the canine brigade to search the area where Mthethwa’s phone last pinged at the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, but they were unsuccessful in locating him. Concerned about a potential suicide, authorities conducted an extensive search in the western Paris woods.
The late diplomat’s recent public appearance was at the 109th Anniversary of the Battle of Delville Wood in Longueval, Departement de la Somme. Mthethwa, who had been serving as South Africa’s permanent delegate to UNESCO, had a distinguished political career, previously holding ministerial positions in arts, culture, and sport.
Mthethwa, who began his career in the anti-apartheid trade union movement, had been an active member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress between 2007 and 2022. His sudden death has been described as a national loss by the South African foreign affairs department, which highlighted his dedicated service to the nation.
An investigation into the incident has been initiated by the Brigade for the Suppression of Crimes Against Persons of the Paris judicial police. Additionally, a duty magistrate is on the way to the scene as Mthethwa’s relatives are being questioned by authorities. The South African embassy in Paris was reportedly unreachable on Tuesday morning.
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