Former Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, Chidimma Adetshina, has appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court to challenge efforts by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs to deport her.
The court appearance follows an urgent application filed by Adetshina’s legal team contesting the overall lawfulness of the deportation proceedings.
This legal showdown comes on the heels of Adetshina’s arrest in June, after Home Affairs alleged that she had entered South Africa illegally.
The current court proceedings represent the latest escalation in a high-profile immigration dispute involving the former Miss South Africa finalist, who was brought before the bench as both sides prepare to argue their case over her right to remain in the country.
Adetshina’s citizenship status first came under public scrutiny when she contested for the Miss South Africa 2024 crown, a competition she ultimately withdrew from amid intense controversy.
Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, her eligibility was questioned after South African authorities launched an investigation into her mother’s citizenship documentation.
In August 2024, the Department of Home Affairs stated that her mother may have been involved in identity theft, triggering a wave of severe xenophobic backlash and social media attacks against Adetshina over her Nigerian heritage—despite her being born in South Africa and meeting the initial pageant requirements.
Turning adversity into triumph, Adetshina accepted an invitation to join the Miss Universe Nigeria competition following her withdrawal in South Africa.
She won the national crown and went on to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 global pageant.
There, she achieved a historic milestone by finishing as the first runner-up and earning the title of Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, cementing her status as one of Nigeria’s most celebrated international beauty queens.
As the court battle unfolds, Adetshina is expected to submit a detailed affidavit outlining the extensive efforts she has made to regularise her stay in South Africa.
Her legal counsel remains hopeful that the evidence provided will convince the regional court to halt the Department of Home Affairs’ deportation order and safeguard her residency.
