South Africa's Ambassador to France Dies in Hotel Fall

South Africa's ambassador to France was reported missing by his wife on Monday evening after she received a text she found concerning. On Tuesday, Nkosinathi Emmanuel "Nathi" Mthethwa, was found dead outside his Paris hotel. Authorities say the 58-year-old had reserved a room on the 22nd floor of the Hyatt Regency and noted that a secured window had been forced open. The AP reports French prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement that in the message to his wife, Mthethwa "apologized and expressed his intention to take his own life."

Beccuau added that a hotel security guard found Mthethwa's body in the inner courtyard; an investigation is underway. The South African government described Mthethwa as "a distinguished servant of the nation" and recalled his lengthy career in public service: Reuters and CBS News report he served as minister of police from 2009 to 2014, led the country's arts and culture ministry from 2014 to 2019, and oversaw both arts and sports from 2019 to 2023, at which point he was appointed ambassador to France.