- SA Revokes Beauty Queen's Citizenship
- Xenophobia Sparks Nationality Row
- Adetshina to Represent Nigeria at Miss Universe
Chidimma Adetshina, the beauty queen embroiled in a contentious nationality dispute, is set to lose her South African identity and travel documents. The Department of Home Affairs initiated an investigation into her case after she became a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant, drawing criticism over her eligibility due to her mother’s Mozambican heritage and her father’s Nigerian roots.
In August, Ms. Adetshina withdrew from the competition after the department indicated that her mother may have engaged in “identity theft” to acquire South African nationality. Following her withdrawal, the law student went on to win the title of Miss Universe Nigeria after receiving an invitation from the organizers.
The controversy has ignited a wave of xenophobic backlash in South Africa, prompting Ms. Adetshina to tell the BBC that she would require therapy to cope with the situation. The Department of Home Affairs announced the revocation of her identity documents to a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.
Tommy Makhode, the department’s top civil servant, stated that Ms. Adetshina’s mother would also have her documents canceled, as they failed to meet the deadline on Monday to provide justification for their eligibility to retain them. Neither Ms. Adetshina nor her mother have publicly commented on the decision to revoke their papers.
Mr. Makhode revealed that the case has been referred to the Hawks, a specialized police unit investigating serious crimes. He indicated that the Hawks have determined it to be a “case of fraud,” and officials are now awaiting guidance from prosecutors on the next steps.
In light of the department’s earlier findings, it was noted that Ms. Adetshina “could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother as she was an infant at the time.” Ms. Adetshina has previously stated that she was born in Soweto, a township in South Africa.
Despite the ongoing controversy, after winning the beauty pageant in Nigeria, she expressed to the BBC that she identifies as “proudly South African” and “proudly Nigerian.”
Currently, Ms. Adetshina has arrived in Mexico to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition, scheduled for November 16, where she will compete against contestants from around the globe, including Mia le Roux, this year’s Miss South Africa winner.
