MBONAMBI, KWAZULU-NATAL – The funeral of South Africa’s late Ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, was meant to be a solemn occasion — a final farewell to a man celebrated for his dignity, discipline, and quiet leadership. But amid the grief and ceremony, it was a brief, almost imperceptible moment that drew murmurs across the crowd and later, the internet: his widow, Philisiwe Mthethwa, was seen smiling.
For many, it was an expression of grace — the bittersweet strength of a woman honouring her husband’s life. For others, it stirred questions that refused to fade. Why did she look so calm? Was it composure, relief, or something more complicated?
The funeral, held under grey skies in KwaMbonambi, was attended by government officials, family, and long-time comrades in the liberation struggle. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) accorded Mthethwa a Special Official Funeral Category 2, recognizing his service as South Africa’s envoy to France before his untimely death in Paris.
He reportedly fell from the 22nd floor of a hotel last week — a tragedy that sent shockwaves through diplomatic and political circles. French authorities have not yet concluded their investigation, and speculation has been mounting about the circumstances surrounding the fall.
As the funeral proceeded, emotions ran high. Tributes poured in for a man described as cultured, kind, nurturing, and courageous. His colleagues painted a portrait of a patient listener and a loyal friend. His family remembered him as the calm centre of their world.
Philisiwe, dressed elegantly in black with a soft white scarf draped around her shoulders, dabbed at her eyes as a relative, Nolitha Fakude, read out her written message to her late husband.
“I cannot ask God why,” the message read. “For love this great can never be explained nor measured by time. I ask only that He cradle you gently, that He keeps you close until the day I may be in your midst again. You are my sunshine, my eternal flame, and though death has hidden you from my eyes, nothing can quench the fire you’ve lit in my soul.”
