Chidimma Adetshina Challenges Decision to Deport Her from South Africa
Popular beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina has again insisted that she was born in South Africa as she continues her legal battle against the authorities’ decision to deport her from the country.
Adetshina, 25, said it was painful to be treated as though she had no right to remain in South Africa, despite being born there and having spent much of her life in the country.
She is challenging a decision by South African authorities declaring that she does not have the legal right to remain in the country. The legal proceedings have been adjourned, with the case scheduled to return to court in February 2027.
Speaking to journalists after a court hearing in Cape Town, Adetshina said she remained committed to pursuing every available legal avenue to establish her status and citizenship rights.
“I want everyone to know that I was born in South Africa. I have followed all the proper legal channels to establish my status and my citizenship rights.”
Adetshina also accused some authorities and critics of attempting to use her case as an example. She warned that incomplete reports, public emotions and unverified claims should not determine how people are treated.
Her comments came as members of an activist group known as March and March gathered outside the court to protest against her. Some of the protesters described her as a foreigner and followed her vehicle as she left the court premises.
The Controversy Began With Miss South Africa
The controversy surrounding Chidimma Adetshina dates back to 2024, when she became one of the finalists in the Miss South Africa pageant.
According to reports, she was born in Soweto and raised in Cape Town. Her mother, Anabela Rungo, is originally from Mozambique, while her father is Nigerian.
Questions surrounding her background and citizenship emerged as she progressed in the Miss South Africa competition. The controversy eventually became intense, leading her to withdraw from the pageant.
South African authorities later cancelled her identity documents and passport following allegations that her mother had fraudulently obtained South African identity documents. Rungo's South African citizenship was also revoked in 2025.
Citizenship by Birth
Under South African law, not everyone born in the country automatically acquires citizenship without meeting additional legal requirements.
Citizenship by birth can depend on the legal status of a person's parents at the time of birth. One of the central issues in Adetshina's case is how these provisions apply to her citizenship status and her right to remain in South Africa.
After Leaving Miss South Africa
After withdrawing from the Miss South Africa pageant in 2024, Adetshina was invited to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria competition.
She entered the competition and won, subsequently representing Nigeria in international beauty competitions.
However, the dispute over her immigration status and right to remain in South Africa did not end there.
South African authorities have alleged that she later returned to the country without following the required immigration procedures. During the court proceedings, the Department of Home Affairs argued that Adetshina had applied for a South African travel document while she was in Nigeria and had also obtained Nigerian passports for herself and her child.
Authorities further alleged that she entered South Africa through a border route from Mozambique in a manner they said did not comply with the required legal procedures.
Adetshina, however, has continued to reject the suggestion that she has no legitimate connection to South Africa. She has repeatedly maintained that South Africa is her home, because she was born there and grew up in the country.
She was arrested in June following allegations that she had returned to South Africa unlawfully, but was later released with a warning.
Legal Battle Continues
Adetshina is now continuing her legal challenge against the decision to remove her from South Africa.
The court proceedings have given her additional time to pursue further legal remedies against the decision by the Department of Home Affairs.
While the case remains before the courts, Chidimma Adetshina remains free and is awaiting the outcome of the South African legal process concerning her right to remain in the country she says she was born in.