South African Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa. Image credit: eNCA.
(The Post News) – As part of the investigation into the death of SA’s ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, a specialized five-person police squad has been dispatched to Paris. One of the new details concerning Mthethwa’s final days that has come to light is a hotel reservation that was booked more than two weeks in advance, which has confounded questions about how he died.
Acting Police Minister Prof. Firoz Cachalia acknowledged the deployment of the South African Police Service (SAPS) team on Friday. The squad is commanded by Major-General Albert Maqhashalala. This Saturday, the team will leave for France to join their counterparts in a “collaborative effort… to ensure that the circumstances surrounding Ambassador Mthethwa’s death are thoroughly and transparently investigated.”
New Timeline: Advance Booking and Final Hours
- French investigators have presented the Mthethwa family with a detailed timeline that complicates the narrative of a spontaneous act.
- Reservation in Advance: As early as September 15, almost two weeks before his passing, Ambassador Mthethwa reserved the 22nd-floor suite at the Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile, according to records. Mthethwa was supposed to check in on September 27th, but he postponed his plans and finally did so on Monday, September 29th, the day he was discovered missing.
- Scene Findings: According to French prosecutor Laure Beccuau, a pair of scissors was found close by, and the room’s locked window was discovered wrenched open. French authorities classified it as an apparent suicide after preliminary forensic analysis revealed no evidence of a struggle or third-party involvement, but the complete investigation is still ongoing.
Former Deputy Finance Minister and the Mthethwa family spokesperson Sifiso Buthelezi verified the CCTV and booking records handover facts, saying, “The police came to the residence just to update us… and also to give Phili the ambassador’s belongings, which were a coat, a cap, and a remote.”
Family and Political Reaction
The South African administration has pledged complete transparency in spite of the accumulating forensic information made public by French authorities. Dismissing previous claims of family discontent, the KwaZulu-Natal ANC and a joint statement from the Mthethwa and Buthelezi families have expressed satisfaction with the assistance provided by DIRCO and the collaboration displayed by French authorities.
The tragedy has increased public scrutiny of political accountability and the nation’s ongoing commissions of inquiry, such as the Madlanga Commission, where Mthethwa’s name recently surfaced in connection with allegations of political interference during his tenure as Minister of Police. However, the South African government maintains that it is waiting for the final report before making any conclusions.
Before Mthethwa’s remains are returned to South Africa for burial, the SAPS team is anticipated to arrive this weekend and work with French police to facilitate the completion of the inquiry, including the impending post-mortem results.
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