Nigerian-born Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina, a finalist in Miss South Africa pageantry, has announced her withdrawal from the competition, citing concerns for her safety and the well-being of herself and her family as the primary reasons for her withdrawal.
The withdrawal comes after Adetshina faced attacks due to her nationality on social media after announcing she had qualified for the pageant final.
Chidimma’s withdrawal from the competition came in a statement posted on her Instagram page amid the continued controversies surrounding her nationality ignited by the Home Affairs ministry.
“I would like to start off by thanking everyone who has stood beside me right from the start of my Miss South Africa journey. I’m really grateful for all the love and support I have been shown. Being part of the Miss South Africa 2024 competition has been an amazing journey; however, after much careful consideration, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw myself from the competition for the safety and well-being of my family and me. I would like to take this opportunity to wish my fellow finalists all of the best for the remainder of the competition. Whoever wears the crown represents us all.”
A case of fraud or unjust discrimination in South Africa?
Born in Soweto, South Africa, to a Nigerian father and a mother who is of Mozambican descent, Chidimma’s participation in the competition and her rise to become a finalist in the competition became a subject of controversy after Adetshina told local media she was born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a South African mother of Mozambican descent.
South Africans objected to participation, citing that she was not truly a South African, leading to an investigation into her citizenship
The home affairs minister, Leon Schreiber, stated that the investigations revealed “prima facie indications” suggesting that Adetshina’s mother could have engaged in fraudulent activities and possibly stolen the identity of a South African woman.
However, it is crucial to note that according to official South African guidelines, citizenship can be acquired through birth, descent (adoption) or naturalisation (being a South African resident for at least five years). It also grants citizenship by birth to anyone born in the country after 1995 to a South African parent or permanent resident.
Adetshina, being 23 years old and born in South Africa in 2001, supersedes all requirements to be qualified as South African as well as participating in the pageantry.
