The Department of Home Affairs herewith provides an update on the ongoing
investigation into the citizenship of Chidimma Adetshina, a contestant in the upcoming
Miss SA event.
The reason for the ongoing nature of the investigation is that its scope has broadened
since the original request received from the organisers of Miss SA, based on the information uncovered by Home Affairs investigators thus far.
The Department nonetheless provides this public update based on the official request
received from Miss SA, as well as the consent provided by both the contestant and her mother.
We will provide a final update once the investigation is concluded.
On Monday, 05 August 2024, the organisers of the event sent the Department a
request to verify the citizenship of a contestant, Chidimma Adetshina.
This request
was accompanied by written consent from both Adetshina and her mother.
Upon receiving this request, the Department deployed every resource at its disposal
to establish the truth.
This has included archival research, visits to hospitals, and site visits to verify information.
From the information we have uncovered thus far, the Department of Home Affairs
can indicate that:
• Prima facie reasons exist to believe that fraud and identity theft may have been
committed by the person recorded in Home Affairs records as Chidimma
Adetshina’s mother;
• Adetshina could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her
• An innocent South African mother, whose identity may have been stolen as part of the alleged fraud committed by Adetshina’s mother, suffered as a result
because she could not register her child;
• The Department has broadened its investigation to identify and pursue any officials involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme, and is obtaining legal advice on the implications of the alleged fraudulent activity on Adetshina’s citizenship status; and
• Upon the completion of the investigation, Home Affairs intends to press criminal
charges against all implicated parties.
There are ongoing engagements with all stakeholders, including Adetshina’s mother.
This case, which stems from alleged fraudulent activities committed 23 years ago, highlights the urgent need for the digital modernisation of Home Affairs applications,
adjudication and verification processes, to insulate the Department against fraudulent
interference, similar to the reforms undertaken at the South African Revenue Service
in the late 2000s.
The case also highlights the reason for the Department’s blocking of certain duplicate IDs, and that the court-ordered unblocking of these documents must be handled with caution.
Throughout this process, Home Affairs is guided by our commitment to both restoring
and upholding the rule of the law as well as the rights of all parties.