By Prosper Mene
Beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina says she was born in South Africa and is being “targeted unfairly” as the government pushes to deport her.
The 25-year-old, who currently holds the Miss Universe Nigeria title, appeared in a Cape Town court on Wednesday as South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs sought an order for her detention pending deportation. The matter was postponed to February 2027 to allow for the finalization of her legal review challenging the deportation order. She remains free in the meantime.
From Miss SA Finalist to Miss Universe Nigeria
Adetshina’s citizenship came under scrutiny in 2024 after she made it to the finals of Miss South Africa. Questions arose over her eligibility because her mother, Anabela Rungo, has Mozambican roots, and her father is Nigerian.
Shortly after, Home Affairs stripped Adetshina and her mother of their South African identity and travel documents, alleging that Rungo had obtained South African citizenship through identity fraud. Rungo’s citizenship was later revoked in 2025.
Adetshina withdrew from Miss SA and left the country. She was later invited to compete in Miss Universe Nigeria, which she went on to win.
Speaking outside court, Adetshina insisted on her South African roots.
“I remind everyone that I was born in South Africa. I have applied through the proper legal channels to have my status and citizenship determined,” she said.
“I have been treated unfairly and targeted. We should not allow xenophobia and misinformation to determine how people are going to be treated.”
She added that she was born in Soweto and grew up in Cape Town.
Government’s Case and Arrest
In court filings reported by News24, Home Affairs argued that Adetshina applied for a South African visa while in Nigeria and also obtained Nigerian passports for herself and her son — evidence, they say, that she is not a South African citizen. Officials further alleged she re-entered South Africa illegally through a Mozambican border post.
Adetshina was arrested in June 2026 on accusations of unlawful re-entry, but was later released on warning.
Outside the courthouse, members of anti-migrant group March and March gathered to demand her deportation. Some pursued her vehicle as she left.
What the Law Says
South Africa does not grant automatic citizenship by birth. A child born in the country is only automatically a citizen if at least one parent is a South African citizen or permanent resident.
Adetshina’s legal team is challenging Home Affairs’ decision to declare her a “prohibited person” and to strip her documents.
Until the review is concluded, she will not be detained or deported.
The case has reignited debate in South Africa around citizenship, identity, and xenophobia — and what it means to “belong.”
For Adetshina, the fight is personal.
“I was born here,” she said. “This is home.”
