A Miss South Africa finalist has announced she will withdraw from the pageant after facing a xenophobic row over her heritage.
Chidimma Adetshina, 23, was one of the top 10 finalists in the contest but says she made the “difficult decision” to quit the competition before tomorrow’s final.
The stunning model was born in South Africa, but is of mixed ancestry on her Nigerian father’s side, while her mother is of Mozambican descent.
Malicious rumours accused Adetshina of being ineligible to participate in the competition, claiming that she is Nigerian and not South African.
The law student had received a torrent of vile abuse on social media, while Miss South Africa and the government were urged to ban her from competing.
In a statement posted to Instagram on Thursday, Adetshina broke her silence on the issue to reveal that she was forced to withdraw from the competition over fears for her own safety and that of her family.
Chidimma Adetshina, 23, was forced to withdraw from Miss South Africa following a dispute over her inheritance.
She said: ‘I would like to start by thanking everyone who has been by my side since the beginning of my career as Miss South Africa. I am truly grateful for all the love and support you have shown me.
‘Being part of the Miss South Africa 2024 competition has been an incredible journey, however, after much consideration, I have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the competition for the safety of myself and my family.
‘With the support of the Miss South Africa Organisation, I leave with a heart full of gratitude for this incredible experience.
“I would like to take this opportunity to wish my fellow finalists all the best for the rest of the competition. Whoever wears the crown represents us all.”
Adetshina, who had previously said she was “super excited” for the final, thanked her fans for the “love and support” she received.
She still appears as the first contestant on the Miss South Africa website despite having withdrawn from the pageant.
In a statement, Miss South Africa organisers said: ‘In light of recent events, Miss South Africa 2024 contestant Chidimma Adetshina has made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Miss South Africa competition.
‘We wish Chidimma all the best and success in all her endeavours.
The law student had previously revealed how ‘excited’ she was to be one of the 10 finalists.
She thanked her fans for their ‘love and support’ after revealing she had withdrawn from the contest.
‘Miss South Africa celebrates South Africa’s rich and inclusive culture and diversity. We uphold the spirit of Ubuntu-Botho and are committed to contributing to the self-esteem, self-confidence and realisation of the aspirations of all girls and women in Africa and around the world.
‘The Miss South Africa Organisation would like to thank our sponsors, partners, supporters and all stakeholders for their continued support and wish all the best to the Miss South Africa 2024 finalists.’
Miss South Africa previously said she is eligible to compete as she possesses a valid ID and passport, while the nation grants birthright citizenship to anyone born in the country after 1995.
Adetshina said it was disappointing to see so much “black hate” in the response to her achievements at the pageant, telling local media: “You try so hard to represent your country and show it off so proudly, but all these people don’t support you.”
Images circulating on social media of her alongside others dressed in traditional Nigerian attire only worsened the abuse.
Further fuel was added to the fire after a Home Office investigation found “prima facie evidence” that Adetshina’s mother may have stolen the identity of a South African woman after her birth.
Interior Minister Leon Schreiber said: ‘There is reason to believe that the person registered in the Interior Ministry’s records as Chidimma Adetshina’s mother may have committed fraud and identity theft.
‘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 was unable to register her son.’
The model posted a statement on her Instagram page revealing that concerns about her safety and that of her family had led to the decision ahead of Saturday’s final.
The law student had received a torrent of vile abuse on social media, while Miss South Africa and the government were urged to ban her from competing.
Today South Africa is known as the “Rainbow Nation,” but xenophobia still persists after apartheid.
Abuses often target people from Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Somalia, who are used as scapegoats for “taking away jobs” and causing high levels of drug and crime.
It has led to the rise of xenophobic political parties and movements, including the far-right Patriotic Alliance led by Gayton McKenzie, which won two percent of the vote in May’s election.
McKenzie, who is also the Culture Minister, wrote on Twitter last week: “We really can’t allow Nigerians to compete in our Miss South Africa pageant. I want to get all the facts before commenting but it’s already giving off weird vibes.
‘Every time you stand to represent South Africans, you are willingly exposing yourself to scrutiny.
‘South Africans should not feel ashamed or accused simply because they ask necessary questions to the lady who wants to represent them as Miss South Africa.’
But Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, came to her defence during a podcast interview.
He said: ‘We cannot punish people based on where their parents are from… Your citizenship is determined by where you were born, so if she was born here, she is South African.
The stunning model was born and raised in South Africa. Her father is Nigerian and her mother is of Mozambican descent.
“It doesn’t matter. She is not her parents, she is herself. So why say she is from Nigeria or Mozambique? She was born here.”
Adetshina revealed in her entrance video that her parents are not from South Africa, sparking debate over her eligibility to compete.
Born and raised in Johannesburg, she is now a law student at Varsity College, a model and a netball player.
According to her bio for Miss South Africa, she is passionate about advocating for change in violence against women and children.
The winner of Miss South Africa will be announced at the SunBet Arena in Pretoria on August 10.
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