By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Cape Town Regional Court has postponed the judgment in the deportation case of former Miss SA contestant Chidimma Adetshina pending her review application.
The matter will now be heard on 23 February 2027.
The 25-year-old beauty pageant queen made headlines when she became a Miss SA finalist in 2024 and later withdrew her participation after controversy over her citizenship.
The state told the court that Adetshina has no valid legal status in South Africa, after her citizenship was revoked.
Court papers filed by immigration officer Adrian Jackson set out the Department of Home Affairs case for detaining Adetshina for the purpose of deportation.
According to the papers, officials verified Adetshina’s details against the department’s electronic systems and interviewed her to determine her immigration status.
“After the above ‘status determination’ interview and the DHA residency IT systems checks, it was confirmed that the applicant does not hold any lawful RSA residential status and is thus an illegal foreigner,” the papers reads.
“It is my submission that the illegal foreigner wilfully and intentionally remained resident unlawfully in RSA in contravention of the Immigration Act 13 of 2022.”
But her lawyers argued that she has deep ties to the country and that her status can be regularised, given that she was born here.
The latest court proceedings follow an earlier decision by Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber, who in March dismissed Adetshina’s application to review the department’s refusal of her and her son’s request for a letter of good cause.
In doing so, he upheld the department’s earlier decision.
In a written response, Schreiber said Adetshina had been informed in September 2024 that the department intended to cancel her and her child’s South African identity documents.
“The department notified you of its intention … in September 2024, and you failed to respond,” Schreiber said.
Home Affairs is seeking an order allowing Adetshina to remain in detention while deportation proceedings continue.
Magistrate Jane Kgorane outlined that she is not in a position make a determination at this stage until the High Court has ruled on Adetshina’s review application.
The Nigerian pageant queen has approached the High Court to review Home Affairs’ decision to deport her.
Kgorane postponed the ruling to the new year on whether Adetshina should be detained while the Department of Home Affairs pursues her deportation.
After the court proceedings, Adetshina said, “I believe I have been treated unfairly and targeted and there has been an attempt to make me an example.”
Adetshina represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition in Mexico, where she finished as first runner-up. Her international success, however, did not end the dispute over her immigration status in South Africa.