Chidimma Adetshina, a beauty queen caught in the center of a heated nationality debate, is set to be stripped of her South African identity and travel documents, following a decision by the Department of Home Affairs.
Adetshina, who recently won Miss Universe Nigeria, has faced intense scrutiny regarding her South African citizenship, as her mother is reportedly Mozambican and her father Nigerian.
The Department of Home Affairs began investigating her eligibility after she became a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant, sparking backlash and claims of ineligibility. Adetshina withdrew from the competition in August when authorities announced that her mother might have committed “identity theft” to gain South African citizenship.
In a recent statement to a parliamentary committee, Tommy Makhode, the Department of Home Affairs’ top civil servant, confirmed that both Adetshina and her mother would have their documents revoked, having failed to meet a deadline to justify their eligibility.
Makhode explained that the case has been referred to the Hawks, South Africa's elite police unit investigating serious crimes, which has concluded that it likely involves fraud. Officials are now awaiting prosecutorial advice on the next steps.
Adetshina, a law student who has claimed Soweto as her birthplace, has not commented on the move to revoke her documents but expressed that the ordeal has been deeply distressing, noting that she may need therapy due to the xenophobic backlash she has faced. Despite the controversy, she has said she is “proudly South African” and “proudly Nigerian.”
Currently, Adetshina is in Mexico, preparing to represent Nigeria at the upcoming Miss Universe competition on November 16. She will compete alongside Mia le Roux, the reigning Miss South Africa, and contestants from around the world.
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