SA Home Affairs now claim Chidimma Adetshina’s mother committed ID fraud

The controversy around the participation of Chidimma Adetshina in this year’s edition of the Miss SA pageant has taken another twist with South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs claiming it has uncovered prima facie evidence that her mother might have committed identity theft.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber made the announcement on Wednesday in a statement.

“The department is obtaining legal advice on the implications of the alleged fraudulent activity on Adetshina’s citizenship status. Upon the completion of the investigation, Home Affairs intends to press criminal charges,” he said.

The 23-year-old finalist is said to have a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother but was born in South Africa with her parents both having South African residency status.

But now according to Schreiber an innocent South African mother, had her identity stolen as part of the alleged fraud committed by Adetshina’s mother.

He warned that they would investigate and prosecute any officials in the Department who assisted in the alleged fraud.

“The case also highlights the reason for the department’s blocking of certain duplicate IDs, and that the court-ordered unblocking of these documents must be handled with caution.

“Throughout this process, Home Affairs is guided by our commitment to both restoring and upholding the rule of the law as well as the rights of all parties,’’ Schreiber added.

Adetshina has been subject to what some believe is a xenophobic campaign, with some South Africans airing their belief that she is not a good enough representative of South African culture, citing her greater adherence to her father’s Nigerian culture despite that she was born in the country.

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza had earlier confirmed that they had received a request to look into the matter and findings will be communicated in due course.

“The issue of Miss South Africa, the policy and I think over the past week set out that the policy and law is very clear.

“For a person to be South African you need to have been born out of South African parents or one of your parents must have been South African. The policy is very clear.

“What we don’t do, we don’t go around discussing people’s private information,” said Nzuza.

Meanwhile immigration lawyer Stefanie De Saude Darbandi explained the factors that would be taken into consideration in determining Adetshina’s status.

“In a case like this, where you are born to a South African, Home Affairs doesn’t have any discretion. The law says you are a South African.

“And questioning her status is not only discrimination and violates principles of equality and human dignity, but it also disregards legal principles. It’s saying that we don’t care what the law says, this is what we say, and we think that we are right.”

Durbandi said there were clear indications that the model was being subjected to xenophobic abuse.

“There’s one thing to have freedom of speech, and there’s one thing to act as leadership on what people are bringing to your attention, but it’s another thing to be discriminatory and xenophobic in the public eye, and to encourage this type of discrimination.”