Criticism of Miss South Africa 2024 finalist Chidimma Adetshina over her eligibility to compete in the pageant due to her Nigerian heritage does not seem to be abating as more evidence (her wedding video) allegedly violating the competition guidelines has surfaced online.
Adetshina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, who is now a naturalized South African.
Under the South African Citizenship Act, a person automatically qualifies for citizenship if he or she is born in South Africa, if at least one of his or her parents is a South African citizen, or if he or she is adopted by a South African permanent residence permit holder or a South African citizen.
This law provides the legal basis for Ms Adetshina's South African citizenship, as she holds dual citizenship of South Africa and Nigeria.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the controversy surrounding Ms Adetshina's eligibility to compete in Miss South Africa, scheduled for August 10 at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria, began shortly after she entered the beauty pageant.
The 23-year-old became a front-line figure in the debate over xenophobia and the country's national identity after advancing to the Top 30 Miss SA and then finishing runner-up in the competition.
Article page with wedding video promotion financial support
However, criticism intensified on Monday when South Africans unearthed the video that delved into Adetshina's married and private life.
Popular news and entertainment blog MDNnews posted the video of her traditional Nigerian wedding on X on Monday. The video, which features Adetshina and her husband (whose name has not been revealed) dancing to music in traditional Nigerian attire, has sparked controversy over the perception that a married, divorced or nursing woman is not eligible to compete for the Miss South Africa title.
The 24-second clip also captured attendees showering Adetshina and her husband with money, further fueling debate over her eligibility for the Miss South Africa pageant.
Criticism of the wedding video was that a married, divorced or nursing woman is not eligible to compete for Miss South Africa.
Furthermore, guidelines provided by the Miss South Africa organization's website revealed that being married, divorced or a mother does not disqualify contestants from participating in the Miss South Africa pageant.
Divorce
In an interview with Sowetan SMa (a quarterly entertainment and lifestyle magazine), the 23-year-old revealed that she was once married but divorced in February 2024.
The netball player and law student at Varsity College, Sandton, South Africa, said she divorced her husband because of his ideology as a married African woman.
“I got divorced in February. We weren’t compatible because he had this ideology of what a married African woman is. I didn’t want to be in a position where I couldn’t go out but I had to clean and cook… that just wasn’t for me because as a society we’re past that stage. My parents have been very supportive and although my marriage deprived me of the beauty of pregnancy and being a wife, overall, it brings me joy to be able to take new steps with my son.
“I didn’t think I would be a mother at my age, as he was conceived out of wedlock, but I’m happy to have him. At the beginning of the year, I was very depressed and worried about how life was going to go, but getting this far in the competition made me believe that something more was in store for me,” she said.
The Minister speaks
In response to the xenophobic attacks and criticism, South African Minister of Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie urged Adetshina to prove her nationality.
In an interview with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) last week, McKenzie asked Adetshina to produce documents proving his South African citizenship.
McKenzie, chairman of South Africa’s anti-immigrant political party Patriotic Alliance, which led a crusade against “illegal foreigners” in the country, including Nigerians, in January 2022, said: “Why can’t she just present (documents) and say she’s South African? Beautiful young South African girls could be deprived of this opportunity.”
Eligibility
Despite numerous criticisms and calls for her disqualification, the Miss South Africa website maintains strict criteria for citizenship and ethical conduct. Surprisingly, the organisation has supported the model.
They said citizenship, regardless of origin, is the primary requirement, which is in line with the revised South African Citizenship Act, which recognises birth, descent and naturalisation as valid pathways to citizenship.
In a statement to South African newspapers, the organisation confirmed that Ms Adetshina met all the requirements to participate in the pageant.
READ ALSO: Miss South Africa 2024: Runner-up Chidimma Adetshina faces xenophobic backlash
The statement said: “All documentation submitted by contestants is scrutinised and verified. Chidimma is a South African citizen and has met all the requirements to participate in the Miss South Africa pageant. Her mother is South African (Zulu) and her father is Nigerian.”
The winner of the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant will succeed Natasha Joubert of Gauteng, the 2023 titleholder, and will represent South Africa at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico.