The controversy surrounding Miss South Africa 2024 contestant Chidimma Adetshina has taken a shocking turn.
An investigation by the Department of Home Affairs has revealed that the 23-year-old’s mother may have committed identity theft.
“Prima facie reasons exist to believe that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by the person recorded in Home Affairs records as Chidimma Adetshina’s mother,” the department said.
The probe was conducted after Miss SA officials – with Chidimma’s consent – asked the department to verify her citizenship.
Some social media users questioned if Chidimma, who reportedly has a Nigerian father and a South African mother with Mozambican roots, should be a finalist.
Miss SA indicated that Chidimma, who was born in Johannesburg, holds South African citizenship and therefore qualifies for the pageant.
Home Affairs says the identity theft allegedly committed by Chidimma’s mother may have affected a local woman.
“An innocent South African mother, whose identity may have been stolen as part of the alleged fraud committed by Adetshina’s mother, suffered as a result because she could not register her child.”
Chidimma would have been a baby when the fraud occurred.
“Adetshina could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother, as she was an infant at the time when the activities took place in 2001,” the statement read.
South African actress Pearl Thusi was also trending on X. She received hate for defending Chidimma earlier this month.
“She was born and raised in South Africa, therefore she is a South African. She can’t call Nigeria home, even though her parents may be Nigerian or wherever they may be from. That is beside the point. If she was a white girl and she was half French, half something else, you guys might have never even noticed, but because her name is what it is now it’s a big deal,” Pearl said in a video shared on social media.
Miss SA will crown a new beauty queen at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria this weekend. Officials are yet to comment on how the latest development will affect Chidimma.
“This case, which stems from alleged fraudulent activities committed 23 years ago, highlights the urgent need for the digital modernisation of Home Affairs applications, adjudication and verification processes, to insulate the Department against fraudulent interference, similar to the reforms undertaken at the South African Revenue Service in the late 2000s,” Home Affairs said.
The department says it will press criminal charges against all implicated parties when its investigation is completed.
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