Currently Miss Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina. Picture: Instagram.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza recently confirmed that former Miss South Africa contestant, Chidimma Adetshina, and her mother’s ID documents will be revoked.
This comes after Adetshina, once billed as a favourite for the Miss South Africa 2024 crown, was forced to withdraw after Home Affairs found prima facie evidence that her mother may have allegedly committed identity fraud.
The investigation came after persistent pressure from South African netizens.
Speaking on SABC News, Nzuza said: “We had to write to Chidimma to make representations ... We know that her mother’s ID was obtained illegally, so if her mother’s ID was obtained illegally then it brings her (Chidimma’s) own citizenship into question, the closing date was yesterday (October 28).
“She has not responded, as such we will now start the process of withdrawing her citizenship.
“This means that the person no longer is a South African citizen and is removed from the database of South Africa.”
Nzuza said that the department believes that Adetshina’s mother had multiple passports at the time she travelled with Adetshina to South Africa.
“If she was travelling with a South African passport we would be able to pick her up ...
“We are dealing with a situation where we have a person moving in and out using multiple access documents, which would have been probably obtained from Mozambique because we have established that she is actually a Mozambican citizen.
“We will not know how she would have arrived there. All that we know is that the matter is now with the Hawks who are looking for her so that she can answer the law on the criminality that was committed.”
Meanwhile, Adetshina is currently in Mexico City, where she is due to represent Nigeria in the 73rd Miss Universe pageant on November 16, despite her citizenship and ID debacle.
Watch the interview below: