The Department of Home Affairs has announced significant developments in its ongoing investigation into the citizenship of Chidimma Adetshina, a contestant in the upcoming Miss South Africa pageant. The investigation has broadened in scope due to findings that suggest potential fraud and identity theft involving Adetshina’s mother.
The investigation was initiated following a request from the Miss SA organisers on August 5, 2024, who sought to verify Adetshina’s citizenship status. This request, made with the consent of both Adetshina and her mother, has led Home Affairs to deploy extensive resources to uncover the truth, including archival research, hospital visits, and site verifications.
According to the Department, preliminary findings reveal that there are prima facie reasons to believe that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by the person recorded as Adetshina’s mother in Home Affairs’ records. The alleged fraudulent activities took place in 2001, a time when Adetshina was an infant, making it impossible for her to have been involved.
The investigation has also uncovered that an innocent South African mother, whose identity may have been stolen as part of the alleged scheme, suffered as a result, being unable to register her own child due to the fraudulent actions.
As the investigation continues, the Department of Home Affairs is working to identify any officials who may have been involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme. Legal advice is also being sought on the implications of these activities on Adetshina’s citizenship status. The Department has confirmed its intent to press criminal charges against all implicated parties once the investigation is concluded.
This case underscores the pressing need for the digital modernisation of Home Affairs’ processes to prevent similar incidents in the future. It also highlights the Department’s cautious approach to handling cases involving duplicate IDs, especially in light of recent court orders to unblock such documents.
The Department is committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the rights of all parties involved are respected as the investigation proceeds. Ongoing engagements with Adetshina’s mother and other stakeholders continue as the Department works towards a final resolution of the case.
