In a startling revelation, the Department of Home Affairs has uncovered that Chidimma Adetshina’s mother committed identity fraud to gain South African citizenship. This discovery comes just days before the Miss South Africa pageant, set to take place at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria.
The investigation began after the Miss South Africa Organisation, responding to public concerns about Chidimma’s eligibility, requested the department to verify her citizenship. The request, sent on August 5, was accompanied by written consent from both Chidimma and her mother.
“The Department of Home Affairs herewith provides an update on the ongoing investigation into the citizenship of Chidimma Adetshina, a contestant in the upcoming Miss SA event,” said Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber in a media statement.
The department’s findings revealed that the alleged fraudulent activities took place in 2001 when Chidimma was still an infant. “Adetshina could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother, as she was an infant at the time,” Schreiber explained. He also disclosed that an innocent South African mother suffered because she could not register her child due to the stolen identity.
Schreiber emphasised that the investigation is ongoing and has been expanded to identify and pursue any officials involved in the fraudulent scheme. The department is also seeking legal advice on the implications of the fraud on Chidimma’s citizenship status and plans to press criminal charges against all parties involved once the investigation is complete.
“This case, which stems from fraudulent activities committed 23 years ago, highlights the urgent need for the digital modernisation of Home Affairs applications, adjudication, and verification processes,” said Schreiber. “These reforms are necessary to insulate the department against fraudulent interference, similar to the reforms undertaken at the South African Revenue Service in the late 2000s.”
As the Miss South Africa pageant approaches, this scandal has cast a shadow over what is typically a celebration of beauty, talent, and national pride. The organisers and the department are now faced with the task of ensuring that the country’s representative is indeed a true South African citizen, as the public demands transparency and integrity in the selection process.
