Chidimma Adetshina, a 25‑year‑old beauty queen, has been stripped of her South African identity documents in 2024 after her citizenship status was questioned following her participation in the Miss South Africa contest.
I born in South Africa and have applied through the proper legal channels to have my status determined, she insists. Adetshina’s mother, with Mozambican roots, and her father, a Nigerian citizen, complicate the legal assessment of her nationality under South African law.
The government’s Home Affairs department has now declared her a prohibited person and is pursuing a warrants to deport her. The legal case was postponed by the Cape Town court until next year, allowing Adetshina to challenge the decision in a final review.
Protests outside the courthouse were organised by the anti‑migrant group March & March, who urged that undocumented migrants leave. Adetshina commented that the authorities should not let xenophobia or misinformation dictate treatment of people who were born in South Africa.
Adetshina left South Africa in 2024 and subsequently won the Miss Universe Nigeria title after organisers invited her to compete. Her legal battle occurs amid growing concerns about climate‑driven migration, where people seek new homes due to environmental pressures.
This case underscores that citizenship is not automatically conferred by birthplace alone and that legal frameworks must adapt to the realities of a climate‑changing world where identities and borders become increasingly contested.
