Miss South Africa fraud scandal

The Miss South Africa pageant has been thrown into turmoil as accusations of fraud and identity theft have surfaced against Chidimma Adetshina's mother, raising questions about the contestant's citizenship. Following a request from pageant organizers, the Home Affairs ministry's investigation found prima facie evidence that Adetshina’s mother may have fraudulently acquired the identity of a South African woman. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber noted that an innocent South African mother may have suffered as a result of this alleged fraud, which has led to ongoing xenophobic attacks on Adetshina, who is of Nigerian heritage. The ministry is consulting on the implications for Adetshina's citizenship, emphasizing she is not implicated in her mother's alleged actions as she was an infant at the time. Both Adetshina and her mother have consented to the investigation, which aims to identify any officials involved in the alleged scheme. Despite the controversy, Adetshina is set to compete in the Miss South Africa finals this weekend.