Johannesburg, South Africa – ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has urged Miss South Africa organizers and Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber to address the ongoing controversy over the eligibility of contestant Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina. Adetshina, who is of Nigerian and Mozambican descent, has faced public scrutiny regarding her suitability as a representative of South Africa.
Mbalula criticized the silence of both Miss SA organizers and Schreiber, emphasizing the need for clarity on the legal standing of Adetshina’s participation. He stressed the importance of adherence to South African laws and condemned the attacks on Adetshina, highlighting the need to prevent her victimization.
The controversy intensified after a video surfaced showing Adetshina celebrating her entry into the competition with people dressed in Nigerian traditional attire. This sparked further debate, with some questioning her representation of South Africa. Sport, Arts, and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie expressed skepticism about her participation, while EFF’s Naledi Chirwa criticized McKenzie’s remarks as unpatriotic and ignorant of South African laws and history.
Mbalula also noted the broader implications of the debate, highlighting the ongoing social and economic competition between South Africa and Nigeria. He stressed that the government must educate the public about citizenship and immigration laws, emphasizing that the issue is sensitive and needs to be resolved promptly.
Former Police Minister Bheki Cele previously reported that South African prisons house nearly 14,000 foreigners out of a total inmate population of about 144,000, challenging the narrative that foreigners are the primary perpetrators of crime in the country. This context has heightened sensitivities around immigration and crime involving foreign nationals.
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