Pretoria: President Cyril Ramaphosa has declared that the late Ambassador Emmanuel Nkosinathi “Nathi” Mthethwa will be honored with a Special Official Funeral Category 2. The funeral service is set to take place at KwaMbonambi in KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday, 12 October 2025.
According to South African Government News Agency, Ambassador Mthethwa, who was serving as South Africa’s Head of Mission in Paris, France, passed away in the French capital on 30 September 2025 at the age of 58. He was appointed as Ambassador to France in December 2023, following a 15-year tenure in the Cabinet where he held various portfolios including Sport, Arts and Culture; Arts and Culture; Police; and Safety and Security. His career in the National Executive was preceded by a lifetime of political involvement and leadership.
President Ramaphosa expressed his deepest condolences to Ambassador Mthethwa’s wife, Ms. Philisiwe Buthelezi, and the extended Mthethwa and Buthelezi families, reiterating the government’s appreciation for the ambassador’s service to the nation. The Special Official Funeral Category 2 will include ceremonial elements performed by the South African Police Service.
In honor of Ambassador Mthethwa, the President has also ordered that the National Flag be flown at half-mast from today until the evening of the funeral on Sunday, 12 October. Mthethwa’s body is currently being transported from France to South Africa.