SAPS Deploys Elite Team of Seasoned Detectives to France in Nathi Mthethwa Death Probe

JOHANNESBURG – The South African Police Service (SAPS) is dispatching a hand-picked team of elite investigators to Paris to assist French authorities in the probe into the death of former Minister Nathi Mthethwa. The decision, sanctioned by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, aims to ensure a "thorough and transparent" investigation and provide closure to the Mthethwa family.

The five-member team is scheduled to depart on Saturday, 4 October 2025, and will spend approximately one week in France collaborating directly with the ongoing investigation.

READ: South African Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, Dies in Paris Hotel Fall as French Police Launch Investigation |

Meet the Expert Team

The delegation is composed of seasoned specialists with vast experience in complex cases. National SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, confirmed the team will be led by Major General Maqashalala, a police veteran with an impressive 40-year career.

"Thirty-five of those years he has spent as a detective," Mathe stated, underscoring the General's extensive investigative background. Major General Maqashalala currently serves as the Head of Detectives in the Western Cape Province.

The team's composition reflects the multi-faceted nature of the investigation and includes:

• A forensic science expert.
• A crime scene investigator.
• An investigator from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks).
• An Interpol liaison with extensive experience in mutual police assistance.

Mission: Collaboration, Transparency, and Closure

Brigadier Mathe clarified that the South African team will not be conducting a separate, parallel investigation. Instead, the mission is one of close collaboration.

"The focus really is to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death, is to eliminate doubts and the rumors and speculations that are out there," Mathe explained during a media briefing. "We will be collaborating with [French authorities], providing analysis as well as supporting the French authorities who have already began with their investigation."

The team is expected to visit the hotel where the incident allegedly occurred to conduct their own analysis of the crime scene as part of the joint effort.

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High-Level Diplomatic Coordination

The deployment follows direct engagement at the highest levels of law enforcement. SAPS National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has already held discussions with the French Embassy in South Africa and his counterparts in France to facilitate the team's work.

"The purpose really of the deployment is to get the answers that we are looking for... so that we too can have closure and get the necessary answers to what exactly transpired in France," Mathe said, confirming that the investigation will not affect the repatriation process of the former minister's remains.

The team is expected to return to South Africa on Friday, 10 October 2025, after which a comprehensive report will be compiled for the Mthethwa family and relevant authorities.