By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Judgment in ex-Miss SA finalist Chidimma Adetshina’s application challenging the Home Affairs Department’s deportation order has been reserved until the 19th of August 2026.
Adetshina—who currently holds the Miss Universe Nigeria title—was arrested last month after entering South Africa illegally through the Lebombo border at Mozambique without valid immigration status.
She appeared in the Cape Town Regional Court on Monday, 20 July 2026.
Her legal team argued that Adetshina has strong ties to South Africa, having been born in the country, where her son was also born.
They submitted an affidavit in court outlining the steps she had taken to legalise her status in the country.
The former Miss SA finalist told the court that she has no other home besides South Africa.
However, the court was shown documents proving Adetshina could live in Nigeria, including papers relating to her son.
The case stems from an investigation into her family’s documentation that began during her Miss SA journey in 2024.
Adetshina found herself at the centre of widespread public discussion during the Miss SA competition.
As debate over her citizenship intensified across the country, she ultimately withdrew from the pageant. She later went on to compete in Nigeria, where she was crowned Miss Universe Nigeria, a move that shifted her pageant career but did little to end the scrutiny surrounding her legal status in South Africa.
The latest court proceedings now moved the conversation away from beauty pageants and into the legal arena, where immigration laws and official documentation will be closely examined.
The Department of Home Affairs has confirmed that investigators, supported by the South African Police Service (SAPS), recently detained Adetshina’s mother, Anabela Rungo, at a property in Cape Town.
According to the department, Rungo’s South African documentation was cancelled after officials concluded that it had been obtained fraudulently. As a result, Home Affairs says she no longer qualifies to reside in South Africa using those documents.
Authorities further allege that despite being declared an undesirable person, Rungo remained in the country by using a Mozambican passport. Officials say investigations into additional allegations of fraud and misrepresentation are still underway.
During the operation, investigators found Adetshina’s underage child living with Rungo.
Home Affairs said it has since partnered with the Department of Social Development and the SAPS Child Protection Unit to ensure that the child’s welfare remains a priority while legal processes continue.