South Africa is moving to revoke the national identity papers of a former Miss South Africa contestant who recently became the center of a citizenship dispute. Twenty-three-year-old Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the pageant in August after facing backlash over claims she wasn’t South African, leading authorities to launch an inquiry into her citizenship status.
The government announced on Tuesday that it will nullify Adetshina’s and her mother’s identification documents following a missed deadline to defend their right to retain them. Born in South Africa to a Nigerian father, Adetshina, a law student, was subjected to intense xenophobic backlash over her Nigerian roots after being named a finalist, highlighting anti-foreigner sentiment in the country.
Officials say the investigation also involves claims that Adetshina’s mother may have assumed a South African woman’s identity. The pair had until Monday to explain why their identity documents shouldn’t be invalidated, according to Home Affairs Director General Tommy Makhode. With no response received, Makhode confirmed that the documents will now be withdrawn under the Identification Act.
Amid the controversy, Adetshina withdrew from Miss South Africa for her and her family’s safety. She later returned to Nigeria, where she received a warm welcome and went on to win a national Miss Universe title in September. She will represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 competition in Mexico on November 16.
South Africa and Nigeria, two of Africa’s leading economies, share a history of rivalry in areas like sports, music, and regional politics.
