By Johnathan Paoli
The late South African ambassador to France, Nathi Mthethwa, was a selfless revolutionary whose courage and conviction helped shape the nation’s democratic path, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday.
Delivering the eulogy at Mthethwa’s Special Official Funeral at Dondotha Stadium in KwaMbonambi, KwaZulu-Natal, Ramaphosa described his life as a testament to “service before self” and a guiding light for future generations.
“Ambassador Mthethwa served his people and served his country. For this we will forever remember him. And for his contribution, we thank him. To the family, our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time,” Ramaphosa said.
Mthethwa, who passed away in Paris on 30 September at the age of 58, was honoured with a Special Official Funeral Category 2.
The service was attended by Cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, ANC and alliance leaders, diplomats, and traditional authorities, alongside Mthethwa’s wife, businesswoman Philisiwe Buthelezi, and their children.
Ramaphosa described the late ambassador as an “unapologetic activist” whose early defiance of apartheid law set him on a lifelong path of service.
“From the earliest days of his activism, Ambassador Nathi Mthethwa refused to accept the injustice of apartheid. Faced with laws that sought to divide, demean and destroy, he responded not with resignation, but with resolve,” he said.
He recalled Mthethwa’s early work as a shop steward at the Just Juice factory, where his activism led to dismissal and persecution, yet never deterred his commitment to justice.
The president traced Mthethwa’s journey from the underground resistance of the 1980s where he participated in Operation Vula, a secret ANC mission initiated by Oliver Tambo to his rise within the African National Congress (ANC) and government.
He served as ANC Chief Whip in Parliament, Minister of Police, and later Minister of Arts, Culture and Sport before being appointed Ambassador to France in 2023.
Reflecting on his ministerial tenure, the president said Mthethwa’s leadership carried “great weight in the lives of our people” and that he viewed public service as a duty rather than privilege.
The president also paid tribute to Mthethwa’s cultural advocacy, noting his work to empower artists and preserve South Africa’s national heritage.
Addressing young South Africans, Ramaphosa urged them to learn from Mthethwa’s example.
He quoted Mthethwa’s own words from a 2013 Umrabulo article.
“True cadres never aspire to or have an uncontrollable lust to lead. The main motivation for true leaders is to serve the movement and the masses at any level,” Mthethwa wrote.
Former finance minister Malusi Gigaba, speaking on behalf of Mthethwa’s friends, offered an emotional ode that recalled their shared journey through the anti-apartheid struggle and the rebuilding of the ANC Youth League.
“Your voice will echo in our memories, your wisdom will guide us, and your laughter will remind us of the humanity that sustained you through the difficult days. We will carry you in our hearts as an exemplar of the agents for social change that you always wanted us to be,” Gigaba said.
He described his late comrade as a “builder of institutions” a “political commissar” and a “progressive internationalist” who believed South Africa’s struggle was intrinsically tied to Africa’s decolonisation and the global fight for justice.
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