Miss SA contestant, Adetshina withdraws amid identity theft investigation

South Africa’s Home Affairs minister, Leon Schreiber says the case around the citizenship of Miss SA contestant Chidimma Adetshina indicates the urgent need for the digital modernisation of the department’s processes.

An ongoing investigation by the department has found prima facie evidence of fraud and identity theft committed by Adetshina’s mother. Adetshina has withdrawn from the contest.

According to the Miss South Africa organization’s website, Adetshina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother and is now a naturalized South African.

However, the Home Affairs Department alleged on Wednesday night that preliminary evidence points to potential fraud committed by Ms. Adetshina’s mother. The department responded promptly to Miss South Africa’s inquiry by conducting an extensive investigation, including archival research, hospital visits, and on-site verifications to confirm the legitimacy of Ms. Adetshina’s citizenship.

The statement noted: “Based on the information uncovered so far, the Department of Home Affairs has identified prima facie grounds to suspect that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by the individual listed in our records as Chidimma Adetshina’s mother.”