By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Miss SA 2024 finalist Chidimma Adetsina. Picture: Instagram/@chichi_vanessa.
The Department of Home Affairs has found prima facie evidence that Miss SA contestant Chidimma Adetshina’s mother may have committed fraud.
Miss South Africa Organisation had requested a thorough investigation into the citizenship of the contestant who has set social media ablaze.
This is ahead of the pageant finale on Saturday.
Several have criticised Chidimma’s for not being a good enough representative of South African culture, citing her greater adherence to her father’s Nigerian culture despite that she was born in the country.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber explained the matter. He said the department is only zooming into the matter now that an official enquiry has been brought to their attention.
The minister said the request also included consent from the affected individuals.
“In all that we do, we are guided by the rule of law. If transgressions are found in this case, they will be handled in strict accordance with legal prescripts. If not, we will accordingly inform the requesters.
The department believes that Adetshina’s mother may have stolen the identity of another South African woman when registering the birth, it said in a statement on Wednesday night.
However, the department added that Adetshina could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother because she was an infant in 2001.
“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.”
“Upon receiving this request, the department deployed every resource at its disposal to establish the truth. This included archival research, visits to hospitals, and site visits to verify information,” the department said.
“The department has broadened its investigation to identify and pursue any officials involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme, and is obtaining legal advice on the implications of the alleged fraudulent activity on Adetshina’s citizenship status. Upon the completion of the investigation, the department intends to press criminal charges against all implicated parties.”
The department said there were ongoing engagements with all stakeholders, including Adetshina’s mother.
Schreiber said the alleged fraud from 23 years ago highlighted the urgent need for the digital modernisation of home affairs applications, adjudication and verification processes, to insulate the department against fraudulent interference, similar to the reforms undertaken at the South African Revenue Service in the late 2000s.
“The case also highlights the reason for the department’s blocking of certain duplicate IDs, and that the court-ordered unblocking of these documents must be handled with caution.