Ex-Miss Universe Chidimma Adetshina faces fresh deportation battle in South Africa

A former Miss Universe Nigeria and Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, Chidimma Adetshina, is facing a fresh deportation battle in South Africa after authorities allegedly found her living in the country without legal immigration status.

According to a South African newspaper Sunday World on Sunday, the 25-year-old beauty queen appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court on June 9 following her arrest in the Summer Greens area of Cape Town. She was released on warning and is expected to return to court next month as South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs seeks her deportation.

An affidavit filed by immigration officer Adrian Jackson stated that Adetshina was already known to authorities from an earlier investigation and that officials established she and her minor son were residing in South Africa without lawful status.

Jackson said immigration officials verified her details through the department’s electronic systems and conducted an interview to determine her immigration status.

“After the above ‘status determination’ interview and the DHA residency IT systems checks, it was confirmed that the applicant does not hold any lawful RSA residential status and is thus an illegal foreigner,” the affidavit stated.

He further alleged that Adetshina had “wilfully and intentionally remained resident unlawfully” in South Africa in contravention of the country’s Immigration Act and urged the court to approve her detention for deportation.

The latest proceedings follow an earlier decision by South African Home Affairs Minister, Leon Schreiber, who in March dismissed Adetshina’s application to review the department’s refusal of her request for a letter of good cause.

According to the minister, Adetshina had been informed in September 2024 that the department intended to cancel both her and her son’s South African identity documents but failed to respond.

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Schreiber also alleged that she obtained a Nigerian passport while in Nigeria before applying for a South African visitor’s visa, which was rejected after authorities claimed she submitted a fraudulent bank statement.

The minister further said Adetshina was declared a prohibited person on December 19, 2024, making her ineligible for any visa or permit to remain in South Africa.

He also alleged that she later re-entered South Africa through the Lebombo border from Mozambique while presenting herself as a South African citizen before applying again for immigration relief.

The minister added that her son’s immigration application was also rejected because it was dependent on hers and he had no independent legal basis to remain in the country.

Following her court appearance, the court ordered Adetshina to remain at the address where she was arrested and notify investigating immigration officers of any changes to her residence, employment or movements pending the hearing.

Adetshina became the centre of a citizenship controversy in 2024 after qualifying as a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant. Following public scrutiny over her nationality, she withdrew from the competition before later representing Nigeria at the Miss Universe pageant, where she emerged as Miss Universe Nigeria and finished as the first runner-up at the global competition.

Since then, South African authorities have continued investigations into her citizenship and immigration status, with the Department of Home Affairs maintaining that she does not have legal grounds to reside in the country.