South Africa’s ambassador to France Nathi Mthethwa informed his associates a few days before his tragic death that his deceased father was calling him.
The startling titbit, which gives credence to claims that he committed hara-kiri or he had a premonition about his death, was revealed by one of Mthethwa’s close associates, who is reeling in shock after receiving news of the former police minister’s untimely death on Tuesday.
According to the associate, who did not want to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, Mthethwa informed his close associates on the phone the day after he Went missing from his official residence in Paris that a light had flashed at him at night while he was asleep.
After that, said the associate, Mthethwa said he saw an image of his deceased father, who called him to join him in the ancestral land.
“He called the associate and said that he was sleeping at night, and while in his sleep, he saw a light, and his father emerged and called him.
“He definitely spoke of his father, who died a long time ago, calling him,” said the associate.
The associate also said they suspect Mthethwa could have been ignoring an ancestral calling or was suffering from a mental illness that caused him to take his own life.
“I’m not saying that this could be the only reason he took his own life, but those are the conversations he has been having with his inner circle,” said the associate.
Even if he was killed, as some people suspect, it appears he foresaw his death.
The family is not shying away from talk of ancestors.
In fact, family spokesperson Sfiso Buthelezi insists there’s nothing taboo about these conversations.
“For me, if a friend says there was this conversation, there is -nothing shameful about it; there is no disgrace,” Buthelezi told Sunday World.
He added, “Nathi never shared that with us, but culturally, there is no shame. As a family, we may not be aware, but he was a person steeped in tradition and culture.
During his wedding, after the Christian proceedings, he insisted on the traditional and cultural Zulu rituals being followed. “He was proud of his culture. There is no shame [in that].”
Buthelezi said in the Mthethwa family, discussing one’s roots was never off-limits. “It is not unlikely that he could have had that discussion with somebody else because culture is a topic we always talk about,” he said.
A government source who spent time with Mthethwa pointed out the diplomat’s deep knowledge of tradition and history.
“Knowing the type of person he was, he was very knowledgeable about the culture of our people and about our history,” the official said.
Digging deeper, the government source recalls a moment with Mthethwa that now seems almost prophetic.
“One of the conversations we might have had was when we visited a graveyard where soldiers of African descent, who contributed to World War II, were buried.
“I seem to recall him explaining that the spirit of someone was collected by the family and expressing a concern that some of the souls had not been collected.
“So, he was someone who understood those things.”
