DURBAN, KWAZULU-NATAL— The body of former Police Minister and South African Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, arrived in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal on Friday, a week after his tragic death in Paris. His return marks the final journey before his burial, scheduled for tomorrow.
Mthethwa, who was 58, died after falling from the 22nd floor of a Parisian hotel while serving as South Africa’s top diplomat to France.
His remains were received in a solemn ceremony at Durban’s King Shaka International Airport by a large delegation that included family members, former Cabinet colleagues, and senior comrades from the African National Congress (ANC). The party delegation was led by ANC KZN provincial task team co-convenor Siboniso Duma, who is also the MEC for Transport. Following the reception, Mthethwa’s body was transported to a mortuary near his KwaMbonambi homestead, roughly 20 kilometers from Richards Bay.
At the airport, Duma paid tribute to Mthethwa’s lifelong commitment to the struggle for freedom and equality.
“Despite Mthethwa having been persecuted by the apartheid government on several occasions, he still strongly believed in a multi-racial democracy,” Duma told mourners. He emphasized that the diplomat had believed in the co-existence of all South Africans “from a very young age,” using every opportunity to “shake the system — that confined South Africans to segregated neighbourhoods to its core.”
Mthethwa’s crucial but often unseen role in the liberation movement was further underscored at a memorial service held in Empangeni. Former KZN Health MEC Sibongiseni Dhlomo shared recollections of Mthethwa’s personal sacrifices.
“Today, people talk mostly about his role in government and as a diplomat, but the fact of the matter is that comrade Nathi sacrificed a lot for the liberation of this country,” Dhlomo said, detailing how Mthethwa was entrusted with hiding weapons in the less-policed rural areas of KwaMbonambi when security branch police made the activity in Durban too dangerous.
Diplomatic Duty and Human Rights Advocacy
The high-profile tributes continued at the Pretoria memorial, where International Relations and Co-operation Minister Ronald Lamola focused on Mthethwa’s dedication to global human rights during his diplomatic tenure.
Lamola recalled Mthethwa’s firmness in engaging with French counterparts, particularly on contentious issues. “Here, we reiterated our position to France on our support for the quest for self-determination of Western Sahara,” Lamola stated, adding that even in the diplomatic sphere, Mthethwa “continued to push for universal human rights.”
Mourners also gathered in Empangeni and Pretoria to remember the late diplomat, with high-profile attendees including former MECs and ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri. The official burial is expected to take place on Saturday, following a life marked by dedication to political service and diplomacy.
