Over 1,400 South Africans have petitioned for the removal of 23-year-old Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina from the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant due to her Nigerian heritage.
Adetshina, a Cape Town-based law student, is one of the top 13 contestants vying for the Miss SA crown. Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a South African mother of Mozambican descent, she has faced criticism following her recent decision to remove Nigerian and Mozambican flags from her TikTok profile.
Controversy has also arisen over her status as a divorced mother, despite updated Miss SA rules in 2022 permitting divorced and married women to participate.
The Miss South Africa organization has defended Adetshina, stating that she meets all competition criteria, including holding a valid South African ID.
Speaking to journalists, the organisation said: “All documentation provided by the entrants is screened and vetted.
“Chidimma is a South African citizen and has met all the requirements to be a part of the Miss South Africa competition. Her mother is South African (Zulu), and her father is Nigerian.”
