The South African ministry of home affairs says it has begun an inquiry to determine the nationality of Chidimma Adetshina, the model of Nigerian heritage.
Last week, Chidimma was subject to controversies over her eligibility to contest for this year’s Miss South Africa.
Chidimma, 23, was born in Soweto, South Africa to a Nigerian father (Igbo) and a Mozambique mother (Zulu). Her parents were said to have met in Johannesburg in the late 90s before they eventually settled in Pimville.
The controversy surrounding her nationality rapidly gained traction on social media platforms last month after she qualified for the round of 16.
Her participation in the pageant attracted harsh criticism, with some X users calling for her disqualification.
Gayton McKenzie, the country’s minister of sports, arts, and culture described the situation as “giving funny vibes already”.
On his part, Njabulo Nzuza, the deputy minister of South African home affairs, also clarified the status of citizenship in the country.
However, in a recent statement on X, Leon Schreiber, the minister of South African home affairs, said the department has received an official request from Miss SA organisers to inquire about Chidimma’s citizenship.
Schreiber said the request included consent from the contestant.
The minister also said the government parastatal is “working to verify and compile the required information” which will be provided to the public.
He added that in case of “any transgressions, they will be handled in strict accordance to the law”.
“The Department of Home Affairs yesterday received an official request from the organisers of Miss SA to enquire into the citizenship of a contestant in an upcoming event. The request included consent from the affected individuals,” the statement reads in part.
“On the basis of this voluntarily request and the required consent, we are working to verify and compile the required information. Prior to this request, the Department had not received any complaint about the matter.
“In all that we do, we are guided by the rule of law. If transgressions are found in this case, they will be handled in strict accordance with legal prescripts. If not, we will accordingly inform the requesters. We will also keep the public informed on the outcome of the assessment.”
The Department of Home Affairs yesterday received an official request from the organisers of Miss SA to enquire into the citizenship of a contestant in an upcoming event. The request included consent from the affected individuals.
AdvertisementOn the basis of this voluntarily request and…
— Leon Schreiber (@Leon_Schreib) August 6, 2024
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is the custodian, protector and verifier of the identity and status of citizens and other persons resident in South Africa.
The grand finale of the Miss South Africa is scheduled for August 10, 2024, in Pretoria. The winner is expected to represent South Africa at this year’s Miss Universe pageant in Mexico.
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