As twilight fell over the Mthethwa homestead on Tuesday evening, the family of the late South African ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, gathered for the final leg of preparations ahead of a solemn journey to Paris.
Led by his uncle Musawokuphila Mthethwa, the delegation — comprising elderly uncles, cousins, sons and other close relatives — is set to depart early Wednesday morning from KwaMbonambi in northern KwaZulu-Natal to Johannesburg, where they will board a chartered flight to France to retrieve his remains.
But this is no ordinary repatriation.
In keeping with Zulu tradition, the family will carry with them a fig tree, a sacred tool used to collect the spirit of the deceased from the place of death and guide it to its final resting place.
“We are now ready to carry out this important and solemn mission of bringing our son back from foreign shores,” said Musawokuphila Mthethwa.
“If everything goes according to plan, we should be able to bury our son this Sunday, unless something major prevents these preparations.”
Nathi Mthethwa’s political journey began in the struggle trenches of Klaarwater township, west of Durban, where he emerged as a youth leader during the height of apartheid resistance.
He rose through the ranks of the ANC Youth League and later served as an MP. Mthethwa played a pivotal role in the political elevation of former president Jacob Zuma and was subsequently appointed minister of police.
Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, he served as minister of sports, arts and culture before being posted to Paris in 2022 as South Africa’s ambassador to France.
His untimely death on September 30 in a Paris hotel room has left the nation stunned and his family reeling.
Since the announcement of his passing, the Mthethwa family has been navigating a maze of conflicting reports.
One of the latest revelations is that both of the ambassador’s cellphones were found in the hotel room he had booked — contrary to widespread French media claims that they were discovered in a Paris park.
“It has been very hard for us as the family,” Musawokuphila said.
“Today we hear this and tomorrow we hear that. We have even asked the government to inform us regularly on the developments before we hear it on the media and social networks.”
Despite the confusion, the family has found some comfort in the steady updates provided by Dr Sfiso Buthelezi, brother of Mthethwa’s widow, Philisiwe.
“He has been telling us everything that has been happening overseas since the news of the tragedy. Even just now I was talking to him and he briefed me, and I also informed him about our preparations to come to France,” Musawokuphila added.
On Tuesday, a delegation from the ANC national executive committee, including former minister Malusi Gigaba, visited the Mthethwa homestead to offer condolences and support to the grieving family.
“We have been humbled by the outpouring of support we have received from political leaders of all parties, particularly the ANC. We have also been receiving support from ordinary community members who have helping us since our grief started. They have been a pillar of strength during these extraordinarily difficult times,” said the elderly Mthethwa.
Meanwhile, the South African Police Service has confirmed it will dispatch five detectives to France to assist in the investigation.
Their mission will be to help unravel the circumstances surrounding the ambassador’s death and clarify the many missing links in the story.
The announcement of the team was made last week, but there have been misunderstandings about their role in the investigations, which had so far been carried out exclusively by the French authorities.
Despite the swirl of speculation surrounding Mthethwa’s death, French authorities have consistently maintained that they suspect no foul play, describing the incident as an apparent suicide.
Officials have reportedly allowed photographs to be taken of the hotel room where Mthethwa was found, including images of the broken window and a pair of scissors believed to have been used to prise it open.
According to preliminary accounts, Mthethwa is said to have jumped to his death from the window, a detail that has added both clarity and sorrow to the unfolding tragedy.
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