South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs is set to revoke the identity and travel documents of former Miss South Africa finalist Chidimma Adetshina and her Mozambican-born mother.
Home Affairs officials provided an update to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee regarding ongoing investigations into corruption and related issues.
Home Affairs director-general Tommy Makhode told the committee that the department’s counter-corruption and security services completed their investigation, and the matter has been referred to the Hawks for further action. He said (via Citizen):
That matter is currently with the DPCI [Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation]. They have concluded that investigation according to [Hawks head] General [Godfrey] Lebeya, they are now waiting for the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority] to advise them on the next steps.
Makhode said that Adetshina and her mother did not respond by the 28 October deadline to provide reasons for retaining their South African documents. He said:
As of yesterday, we have not received any response and, therefore, the department will be proceeding with the withdrawal of those documents in line with the Identification Act.
He added that Adetshina and her mother could face fraud charges.
Albert Matsaung, acting deputy director-general for immigration at Home Affairs, told MPs that officials visited a property registered to Chidimma Adetshina in an attempt to locate her mother.
Matsaung confirmed that Adetshina’s mother had not been arrested because she could not be found at the residence. He stated that records indicate she is still in the country.
Home Affairs could not determine how Adetshina’s mother travelled to Nigeria last month to support her daughter at the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, which Adetshina won.
No movement was recorded in the department’s systems for her registered passport number.
Matsaung noted that Adetshina’s mother appears frequently on social media, including Instagram, and there are photos from the Nigeria event that seem to show her.
He added that despite the similarities in appearance between the individual in the photos and Adetshina’s mother, no trace of her passport used for travel from Mozambique to South Africa was found. The investigation is still ongoing.
Adetshina’s recent Instagram posts indicate she is currently in the United States, where she is preparing to participate in the Miss Universe pageant scheduled for November 16 in Mexico.
Chidimma Adetshina, a 23-year-old law student from Soweto, gained attention by entering the Miss South Africa competition this year.
She withdrew from the contest on August 8, citing safety concerns related to speculation about her nationality.
Her withdrawal followed a statement from Home Affairs, which claimed her mother may have obtained citizenship fraudulently by assuming another person’s identity.
This allegation emerged after an investigation into archival records and hospital visits.
The department also identified both the mother and child as being affected by the alleged identity theft.
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