Miss South Africa: Chidimma Adetshina Mother Under Investigation

The South African government has stated that the mother of 23 years old Chidimma Adetshina, a finalist in the 2024 Miss South Africa contest, may have been involved in identity theft.

Chidimma was born in Soweto, South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother who is of Mozambican descent.

Social media attacks have targeted her Nigerian heritage despite her being born in South Africa and meeting all competition requirements.

This uncovered “prima facie indications” that Adetshina’s mother might have committed fraud and stolen the identity of a South African woman after the Miss SA hopeful was born, the ministry said on Wednesday.

“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,” said Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.

“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.”

However, the new development regarding her mother is contained in a circular issued by the country’s Department of Home Affairs dated August 7, 2024, in which it gave an update on the controversies surrounding Chidimma’s qualification for the upcoming Miss South Africa Event slated for Saturday.