Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina’s journey has been anything but ordinary. Born in Soweto’s Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, her dream of representing South Africa in the Miss SA pageant took an unexpected turn, culminating in a dramatic saga that ultimately propelled her to international recognition.
The controversy began with Adetshina’s participation in the Miss SA 2024 competition. While she progressed to the Top 15, her candidacy sparked a firestorm of online criticism. Accusations of the Miss SA organisation neglecting South Africans by including too many non-South African contestants flooded social media.
One Twitter user wrote: “Our national identity as South Africans is under siege. From China, Eastern Europeans, Zimbabweans, and Nigerians! #BoycottMissSA.” The Miss SA organisation responded in May, stating that all Top 30 contestants met the eligibility requirements, which included South African citizenship and possession of a valid South African ID document or passport.
Fueling the controversy, some questioned Adetshina's representation of South African culture, citing the absence of a South African flag on her TikTok bio, which instead displayed Nigerian and Mozambican flags. An online petition demanding her removal from the competition gained traction, questioning her right to represent South African culture given her heritage.
The controversy escalated when Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, upon returning from the Paris Olympics, announced an investigation into Adetshina’s citizenship. He stated: “I just returned from Paris and will definitely gather more information. We cannot have Nigerians competing in our Miss SA competition. I want to get all the facts before I comment, but it already gives funny vibes.” His comments drew both support and criticism, with some accusing him of focusing on trivial matters.
Conversely, EFF leader Julius Malema defended Adetshina, stating: “Your citizenship is determined by where you were born, so if she was born here, she’s South African. It doesn’t matter. She’s not her parents; she’s herself. So why say she’s from Nigeria or Mozambique? She was born here.”
He further criticised the controversy as hate-mongering, adding: “We cannot punish people based on where their parents come from. I’ve not followed the debate closely, but I would assume Miss SA has done the necessary due diligence and determined that she is a suitable candidate. These are issues stirred up by those who spread hate among Africans. Such people should not be supported.”
The SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) condemned the probe as “xenophobic bullying,” with deputy general secretary Nontembeko Luzipo criticising McKenzie's comments as irresponsible and harmful to Adetshina.
Luzipo stated: “The minister has regrettably contributed to the bullying of Chidimma – strengthening the internet trolls, who have spewed vitriol against the finalist of Miss South Africa – when questioning the legitimacy of her citizenship and eligibility to compete in the pageant. Her contestation in the pageant, is an affirmation that she is South African because a non-negotiable eligibility criterion is citizenship.”
Adetshina herself was not implicated due to her age at the time. The department issued Adetshina and her mother with Promotion of Administrative Justice Act letters, and the case was subsequently handed over to the Hawks.
ActionSA questioned why Adetshina’s mother was allowed to travel to Nigeria while under investigation. However, Home Affairs spokesperson Duwayne Esau clarified that individuals can use their documents until they are officially withdrawn. The Hawks confirmed their investigation was ongoing and in its early stages.
Hawks spokesperson Brig Thandi Mbambo stated: “We cannot confirm an investigation against anyone until the person has been brought to court. For now we are investigating a case of corruption brought by the home affairs department. We cannot confirm how long the investigation will take and when it will be finalised. It’s still in the infancy stage.”
Her withdrawal opened a new chapter. Silverbird Productions, organisers of Miss Universe Nigeria, invited Adetshina to participate in their pageant. She accepted, expressing gratitude for the opportunity. Her participation in and subsequent victory at Miss Universe Nigeria, along with her appointment as an ambassador for Enugu state, generated further discussion. While some praised her resilience, others criticised her decision.
Despite the controversy, Adetshina continued to achieve remarkable success. Her identity documents were later cancelled by Home Affairs, yet she went on to become the first runner-up in the Miss Universe pageant. She described the achievement as "historic". Having travelled extensively with the Miss Universe organisation, she announced her retirement from pageants and her departure from South Africa.
Her journey, marked by both adversity and triumph, continues to unfold, with Adetshina aiming to bridge the gap between Nigeria and South Africa.
