MBABANE:Former Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa died before he could answer allegations of political interference during his time as the police boss, the Mail &Guardian reported on Tuesday.
It has been reported that Mthethwa, who was not a stranger to controversy, was also accused in the Zondo Commission of being part of those who looted crime intelligence funds for personal gain during his time as Minister.
Mthethwa served under former President Jacob Zuma as a Police Minister and under President Cryril Ramaphosa as Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture before being deployed as ambassador to France.
According to French media, Mthethwa was found dead in a hotel in capital, Paris and the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation(DIRCO) confirmed the death but gave little further detail, only saying that “the circumstances of his untimely death are under investigation by the French authorities”.
Media reports suggest that, Mthethwa was found at the foot of the Hyatt Regency hotel in the western part of the French capital.
But last week during his testimony at the Madlanga commission, Kwa-Zulu Natal(KZN) Police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Mthethwa of political interference.
Mkhwanazi alleged that in 2021 Mthethwa allegedly forced former Inspector-General of Intelligence, Faith Radebe, to withdraw the criminal case against former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.
Mdluli was accused of abuse of the police’s secret slush fund between 2008 and 2012, which included funding private trips and using police safe houses for personal use.
The case, according to Mkhwanazi, was never pursued but resurfaced to haunt Mduli after he was arrested and charged for corruption last year by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption on the same matter.
Mthethwa allegedly called Mkhwanazi to his official residence in Pretoria for a meeting with Radebe, indicating they would not pursue charges against Mdluli.
“If you talk about political interference, that was the worst I’ve ever experienced,” said Mkhwanazi.
During the Zondo Commission, crime intelligence officer Dhanajaya Naidoo also testified that the crime intelligence’s secret service account funded the purchase of a Mercedes Benz for Mthethwa in Durban in 2019.
Nathi Mthethwa died before he could clear his name after Mkhwanazi’s allegations. (@NathiMthethwaSA/X)