Media: South Africa’s Ambassador to France reported missing in Paris

South Africa’s ambassador to France, Nkosinathi Emmanuel Mthethwa, has been reported missing after he vanished in the French capital on the afternoon of September 29, according to information obtained by Actu17.

The 58-year-old diplomat remained unaccounted for on the morning of September 30 as police worked to clarify the circumstances of his disappearance.

The incident was first noticed around 3 p.m. local time, but security officers assigned to the ambassador did not notify police until later in the day, sources familiar with the case said. An investigation has since been launched, and several of Mthethwa’s close associates have been interviewed by law enforcement.

Mthethwa, who previously served as South Africa’s Minister of Police, was last traced through his mobile phone in the 16th arrondissement, near the Bois de Boulogne, according to officials briefed on the matter. Investigators are examining multiple lines of inquiry, though no further details have been released.

The Paris prosecutor’s office has so far declined to comment.

Mthethwa’s disappearance comes as a shock within diplomatic circles in Paris, where he has represented Pretoria since his appointment to the post. French and South African authorities are expected to remain in close contact as the search intensifies.

By Aghakazim Guliyev