South Africa: 'Viral Video' Does Not Show Late South African Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa's Fall From Paris Hotel

15 October 2025
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Asive Xali

'Viral video' does not show late South African ambassador Nathi Mthethwa's fall from Paris hotel

IN SHORT: A Facebook post claims there is footage of South Africa's ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, falling to his death from a hotel in Paris, France. But the thumbnail of the supposed video is from a video that has been online since 2019.

"VIRAL VIDEO EXPOSES NATHI MTHEHTHWA'S TRAGIC FALL IN PARIS HOTEL - A SHOCKING MOMENT CAUGHT IN REAL TIME," begins a post circulating on Facebook.

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The post includes photos of Nathi Mthethwa, the late South Africa's ambassador to France, and a building with a person seemingly falling from it.

In September 2025, credible media outlets, including the Associated Press and News24, reported that Mthethwa had died after falling from a hotel in Paris, France. Authorities confirmed his death and launched an investigation into the circumstances.

The Facebook post claims to provide "original footage" of Mthethwa's fall and includes a link to the supposed video. It has been republished on several Facebook pages, accumulating hundreds of thousands of views.

However, the photos included are not connected to Mthethwa's death. And clicking on the link in the post does not lead to a video showing it.

Footage from 2019

A reverse image search of the video's thumbnail returns several news articles from 2019. They report on an incident in Qinyang in China's Henan province, where a 19-year-old student fell to his death from the roof of a high-rise building after a part of the structure beneath him collapsed.

Clicking on the link in the post does not lead to any video. Instead, it takes users to an article on a dodgy looking website full of pop-up ads. The article is headlined: "VIRAL VIDEO EXPOSES NATHI MTHEHTHWA'S TRAGIC FALL IN PARIS HOTEL - A SHOCKING MOMENT CAUGHT IN REAL TIME." It includes text related to Mthethwa's death but no video.

Posts like this can quickly attract attention and shares on social media, but they spread confusion and undermine accurate reporting. Always check whether images and videos come from credible, verified sources before sharing them, and be wary of claims that lack supporting evidence.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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