Updates on Chidimma Adetshina’s Citizenship Status To Be Provided Through Parliament, Says South Africa Home Affairs Minister

South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, has said that the investigation into the citizenship status of Chidimma Adetshina is “active and ongoing”, and updates will be provided only through official channels, including in Parliament.

Schreiber confirmed this on Thursday while addressing news surrounding Adetshina, who was forced to withdraw from the Miss South Africa competition amidst backlash and accusations of not being South African.

Schreiber made the announcement via a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), urging the public to disregard social media rumours and await official updates. “The investigation into this matter is active and ongoing, and further updates will be provided only through official channels, including in Parliament. Don’t fall for social media untruths. Instead, support #TeamHomeAffairs in our quest to restore law and order by upholding the rule of law,” the minister tweeted.

The tweet was a response to comments made by Guy Murray-Bruce, President of Silverbird Group and National Director of Miss Universe Nigeria, during an interview with ARISE NEWS, where he defended Adetshina, attributing her withdrawal from the pageant to undue victimisation. “Chidimma Adetshina’s only ‘crime’ was being a dual citizen—half Nigerian and half South African,” Murray-Bruce stated. He went on to suggest that Adetshina’s exceptional performance in the pageant might have made her a target. 

“Her case seems to be one where she performed so well in the pageant that some tried to take her out. I believe she was victimised. Nigeria is an open society, and we do not practice xenophobia,” he added.

The controversy erupted after Adetshina contested in the Miss South Africa pageant. Despite her South African citizenship, the 23-year-old model became the target of xenophobic sentiments due to her mixed heritage—her father is Nigerian, and her mother has Mozambican roots. The situation escalated when claims of identity fraud related to her mother surfaced, prompting the Department of Home Affairs to investigate her citizenship status.

Adetshina then decided to step back from the competition for her family’s safety, although she remains a figure of public interest as the investigation continues.

As the investigation progresses, it is expected to provide clarity on the allegations against Adetshina and address the broader implications for citizenship laws and xenophobic tensions in South Africa.

Melissa Enoch

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