Mthethwa's fall from grace

South Africa can't afford to mourn SA's French ambassador in silence. We must confront the uncomfortable truth; deeper tragedy lies in the institutions he helped to shape.

- Mandla Mthembu

By any measure, SA ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa was a towering figure in South African politics. His death - plunging from the 22nd floor of a hotel in Paris has stunned the nation.

He was found dead on Tuesday-just days after his name surfaced in damning testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.

But shock alone is not enough. If South Africa is to confront the rot that has seeped into its institutions, we must ask the hard questions about how a man once entrusted with the nation's police could become entangled in the very corruption he was meant to fight.

In 2022, as sport, arts and culture minister, Mthethwa had wanted to erect a monumental flag for R22 million. A public outcry forced President Cyril Ramaphosa to stop the project.

But Mthethwa's legacy is now overshadowed by allegations of interference in police investigations. KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged Mthethwa intervened to shield former Crime Intelligence boss Richard Mdluli from prosecution. The charge? Misuse of secret funds for personal gain. The implication? A minister willing to bend the law to protect political allies.

This is not just about one man's fall.