By Emmanuel Nduka
South Africa’s Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gaston McKenzie is reportedly angered by the presence and participation of Soweto-born Chidimma Adetshina in the ongoing 2024 Miss South Africa pageantry over her Nigerian-Mozambican heritage.
Heritage Times HT reports Adetshina has been trending since she made it into the last 16 of the competition, after discussion about her nationality became a major issue among some South Africans calling on the organisers to disqualify her.
While the Nigerian Government is yet to comment on the matter as at the time of publishing this story, the 23-year-old law student has also been subjected to ridicule and discriminatory comments on social media, with thousands of South Africans signing an online petition calling for her disqualification from the Miss South Africa pageant.
The sad development brings back memories of xenophobic tendencies which has plagued South Africa’s relationship with foreign nationals.
Reacting to one of the many social media posts questioning the eligibility of Adetshina to participate in the competition, McKenzie said he planned to get more information on the matter but stressed they could not allow a Nigerian to compete in Miss South Africa.
“I just returned from Paris and will definitely get more information tomorrow, we truly cannot have Nigerians compete in our Miss SA competition. I wanna get all facts before I comment, but it gives funny vibes already,” McKenzie wrote on X.
Meanwhile, Miss South Africa organisers have reaffirmed the eligibility of Adetshina to compete, noting she has a South African mother and a Nigerian and holds a valid South African passport which has been screened and vetted.
“All documentation provided by the entrants is screened and vetted. Chidimma is a South African citizen. Her mother is South African (Zulu), and her father is Nigerian,” the organisers said.
The grande finale of the 66th Miss South Africa competition will be held on August 10, 2024, in Pretoria, and the winner will represent the rainbow country for the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico later in the year.
