Former Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, Chidimma Adetshina, has appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court to contest efforts by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs to deport her from the country.
Her court appearance followed an application filed by her legal representatives challenging the legality of the deportation process initiated by the Department of Home Affairs.
Adetshina was taken into custody in June after South African authorities alleged that she was residing in the country illegally. She has since remained at the centre of legal proceedings as the government pursues her removal from South Africa.
The latest hearing represents another significant chapter in the ongoing immigration dispute involving the former Miss South Africa contestant.
Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, Adetshina initially participated in the Miss South Africa 2024 beauty pageant before withdrawing amid growing controversy over questions surrounding her family’s citizenship records.
Her exit from the competition came after South African authorities launched an investigation into allegations linked to her mother’s identity and citizenship documentation.
In August 2024, the Department of Home Affairs announced that Adetshina’s mother was suspected of involvement in identity theft, further intensifying public scrutiny surrounding the beauty queen.
The controversy also triggered widespread criticism and attacks against Adetshina on social media, with many users questioning her eligibility because of her Nigerian heritage despite the fact that she was born in South Africa and satisfied the pageant’s entry requirements.
Following her withdrawal from Miss South Africa, Adetshina accepted an invitation to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, where she emerged as the winner and earned the right to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 competition.
She went on to achieve international recognition after finishing as the first runner-up at the Miss Universe contest and was also crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, further establishing herself as one of Nigeria’s most celebrated beauty queens on the global stage.
As part of the ongoing legal proceedings, Adetshina is expected to submit an affidavit detailing the steps she has taken to regularise her immigration status in South Africa in a bid to prevent her deportation.
The outcome of the case is expected to determine whether she will be allowed to remain in the country or face removal under South African immigration laws.
