Following the recent sighting of Chidimma Adeshina, First Runner-Up of Miss Universe 2024, in Cape Town, some South Africans are demanding the dismissal of Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.
A viral video circulating on X allegedly shows Adeshina at a café in the Waterfront area, igniting outrage among many South Africans who are questioning how she was able to re-enter the country.
In October 2024, the Department of Home Affairs stated that an investigation had uncovered what it claimed was prima facie evidence suggesting that Adeshina’s mother may have committed identity fraud and theft.
As a result, the department announced the cancellation of both Adeshina’s and her mother’s IDs and travel documents after they failed to respond to requests for submissions explaining why their documents should not be revoked.
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Adeshina previously withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition amid accusations of not being a South African citizen. She faced xenophobic backlash due to her mixed heritage, with a Nigerian father and a mother of Mozambican descent.
The controversy intensified with the emergence of allegations regarding her mother’s identity fraud, prompting the Department of Home Affairs to review Adeshina’s citizenship status. Ultimately, she stepped aside from the South African competition but later went on to win the Miss Nigeria beauty pageant.
