OBITUARY OF NATHI MTHETHWA
Emmanuel Nkosinathi “Nathi” Mthethwa (1967 – 2025)
**Paris, 30 September 2025** — South Africa mourns the passing of one of its most enduring and contested public figures, Nkosinathi “Nathi” Mthethwa, who died under tragic circumstances in Paris on 30 September 2025. Over a decades-long career in politics, diplomacy and public life, he was at once a stalwart of the ruling ANC and a frequent target of scandal and inquiry.
Early Life & Rise in the ANC
Born on 23 January 1967 in Clermont in the former Natal Province, Mthethwa was raised in the Durban area and in KwaMbonambi.He began his political journey in the early 1990s, shortly after the unbanning of the ANC, serving as branch secretary in his home area (Klaarwater, KZN). He gained reputation for organisational strength, rising through the youth ranks and later into national leadership structures.
Education-wise, he completed a diploma in community development at the University of Natal, took a certificate in mining engineering at the University of Johannesburg, and additionally studied communications and leadership at Rhodes University. ([Wikipedia][1]) He was also an active member of the African National Congress’s KZN structures (King Dingiswayo branch).
By 2002, he had entered Parliament, and by 2007–2008 was within the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working Committee (NWC), both of which he remained a member of for years.
Mthethwa’s ascent into cabinet began in late 2008:
* **Minister of Safety and Security (Sept 2008 – May 2009):** He was appointed in the transitional government under President Kgalema Motlanthe.
* **Minister of Police (May 2009 – May 2014):** Under President Jacob Zuma, he oversaw the national police and crime intelligence portfolios.
* **Minister of Arts and Culture (May 2014 – May 2019):** He then shifted to the arts and culture portfolio.
* **Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture (May 2019 – March 2023):** Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, the portfolios were merged, and Mthethwa led this combined ministry until his removal.
During these years, Mthethwa was a visible figure in flag-waving cultural events, sports funding, national heritage projects, and public ceremonies. He was also on the board of the 2010 FIFA World Cup local organising committee.
Yet his time in office was never without controversy.
Throughout his public life, Mthethwa was repeatedly the subject of serious allegations. While he denied many of them, several remained under investigation when he died.
As police minister, Mthethwa was accused of benefitting from secret funds held by the SAPS Crime Intelligence division. Reports claimed upgrades to his home (fencing, security) and the purchase of a Mercedes-Benz were funded via covert intelligence budgets. ([Wikipedia][1]) The Auditor-General’s investigations and subsequent testimony before commissions revived these issues.
One of the more dramatic accusations came in testimony before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry: KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged that Mthethwa, while minister, pressured the Inspector-General of Intelligence (Faith Radebe) to drop criminal charges against Richard Mdluli (the former head of Crime Intelligence). Mkhwanazi also claimed that Mthethwa called him to his official residence in Pretoria, in coordination with then–ministerial figures, to influence decisions on prosecution.
In media commentary, it was noted that Mthethwa was one of three former police ministers implicated in high-level interference, particularly in investigations of political assassinations.
In his later residential portfolio, Mthethwa came under fire for the handling of relief funds (notably a R300 million artist relief fund) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Critics and audits claimed overcommitment, irregular payments, lack of oversight, and deviation from procurement rules. Some beneficiaries reportedly received duplicate payments or ineligible amounts. Mthethwa maintained no funds went missing, and that any errors were administrative.
In 2025, the Downtown Music Hub (DTMH) became a flashpoint: questions were raised over the appointment of a CEO, irregular contracts, and the bypassing of governance processes. The board of DTMH privately accused Mthethwa of nepotism and interference.
At the time of his death, many of these matters were still unresolved in commissions, media investigations, or court processes.
Mthethwa was married to **Philisiwe Buthelezi**, a businesswoman who served as CEO of the National Empowerment Fund (NEF). The two married on 16 February 2013, in a ceremony attended by prominent political figures. They first met at an ANC conference.
He was known to be passionate about writing, heritage, culture, and sport.
The end of Mthethwa’s life unfolded in Paris under deeply troubling circumstances.
* On **Monday, 29 September 2025**, his wife alerted authorities after receiving a distressing message from him, in which he apologized and reportedly expressed intention to take his own life.
* He had booked a room on the **22nd floor** of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in western Paris
* Early on **30 September**, hotel security discovered his body in the inner courtyard at the foot of the building.
* The Paris prosecutor’s office reported that the window’s safety/secure mechanism was found forced open, with no immediate signs of struggle or presence of drugs or illicit substances.
* Authorities also disclosed that a **suicide note** addressed to his wife was found.
* French investigative teams (including a duty magistrate) immediately launched an inquiry into the nature of the death, exploring whether it was self-inflicted or potentially involved foul play.
At 58 years old, Mthethwa’s life ended suddenly in a foreign capital, drawing intense scrutiny—both for the tragedy of his passing and the quelling of unresolved questions around his legacy.
Nathi Mthethwa’s legacy is deeply ambivalent.
On one hand, he was a long-serving, visible actor in South Africa’s post-apartheid political landscape. He held significant portfolios across policing, arts, culture, and sport, and later transitioned into a diplomatic role as South Africa’s Ambassador to France (from 29 February 2024) and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.
He was known for bold national cultural initiatives, public ceremonies, heritage projects, and his advocacy for the arts and identity.
On the other hand, his name will remain permanently tethered to serious allegations: misuse of covert funds, interference in criminal investigations, governance irregularities, and potential abuse of state resources. Many of these accusations were the subject of active inquiry and had not been resolved at his passing.
Politically, he had already fallen from favour: after the ANC’s 55th National Conference (December 2022) he failed to secure re-election to the NEC. In March 2023, President Ramaphosa reshuffled him out of the cabinet, and shortly after Mthethwa resigned from Parliament.
His sudden death prevents him from fully answering the allegations now in the hands of commission hearings and investigative bodies. As media commentary has already noted, he “dies before answering” questions about his role in policing, state capture, or clandestine intelligence fund usage.
In the days ahead, obituary writers and analysts will struggle to reconcile a figure who was both a dedicated public servant and a controversial actor in South Africa’s ongoing drama of accountability and power. Whether he will be remembered for his contributions to cultural diplomacy or his alleged role in subversion of justice will depend in large part on what the investigations now underway ultimately uncover.
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