Ignore reports of South African ambassador Nathi Mthethwa's 'killer' being arrested in Paris - no evidence of foul play
IN SHORT: South African social media has been awash with claims that the death of the country's ambassador to France was a murder, and that a suspect has been arrested. But there is no evidence of any arrest. A full investigation is ongoing, though initial reports by French authorities point to death by suicide.
In late September 2025, the body of Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa's ambassador to France and a former minister of police, was discovered in the courtyard of a Paris hotel.
His death came at the same time as a commission of inquiry into alleged corruption in the highest ranks of South Africa's police force. Days before Mthethwa's death, provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged at the commission that Mthethwa was involved in a corruption scandal from 2011. Mkhwanazi claimed that Mthethwa had "interfered" in a criminal case against a former police head accused of corruption.
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Rumours soon started swirling that the timing of Mthethwa's death was not accidental and that he had been murdered, rather than dying by suicide.
Some of the sensational posts circulating in late October 2025 read: "Massive arrest in Paris! Nathi Mthethwa's killer confesses - the real mastermind exposed."
Many similar posts claim: "The capture of Nathi Mthethwa's killer in Paris has ignited a political firestorm, unleashing emotional fury and psychological suspense across the nation."
YouTube videos making the claim are equally sensational, describing the "international scandal" of Mthethwa's death and the supposed subsequent arrest in the style of an exposé seemingly created with artificial intelligence tools, complete with robotic British-accented narration and mispronunciations.
But there is no evidence of any arrests related to Mthethwa's death, and no indication from authorities, either French or South African, that he was murdered.
Sensational claims
The videos span 12 minutes of largely unverified and conspiratorial claims, including that Mthethwa's killer has confessed after being arrested, and that Mthethwa had been "silenced" to avoid exposing a larger multinational corruption network.
The narration says, in part: "Behind the official silence, investigative journalists began to uncover inconsistencies. There were missing CCTV clips, deleted phone records, and a swirl of high-level denials."
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While the videos refer to findings from "investigative journalists" and "French authorities", Africa Check could not corroborate these, as no names or specific details were given. This lack of verifiable detail is common in fabricated stories published on social media.
Furthermore, no reputable media sources have reported any of the details of the videos or social media claims. So what verified information is available at time of publication?
Verified information
Mthethwa appeared to have fallen from a hotel room on the 22nd floor, where, according to news reports, the window's safety mechanism had been forced open. There were no signs of a struggle, and no traces of medication or other drugs, the French public prosecutor reportedly explained.
The day before Mthethwa's body was discovered, his wife, Philisiwe Buthelezi, reported him missing after receiving a message from him saying he intended to end his life.
Initial news reports suggested Mthethwa's phone had been recovered in a nearby park. But French authorities later confirmed that this was not true.
The South African police have reportedly sent a senior official to meet with French investigators, with further official reports forthcoming.
The timing of Mthethwa's death, so soon after he was mentioned at the Madlanga commission, seems to have fueled speculation online about the cause. But there is no evidence to link these events, nor anything else suggesting Mthethwa's fall was not self-inflicted.
