'I was born in South Africa', says beauty queen facing legal bid to deport her

What the report says

Chidimma Adetshina, the former Miss South Africa contestant and Miss Universe Nigeria winner, is contesting South African government efforts to deport her. In reporting from Johannesburg and Cape Town, BBC Africa said Adetshina has repeated that she was born in South Africa and that she believes she has been treated unfairly and singled out. The case stems from a citizenship dispute that began in 2024, when South African authorities stripped her of identity and travel documents after questions were raised about her eligibility during the Miss South Africa pageant.

According to BBC Africa, officials say she was declared a prohibited person and later accused of re-entering South Africa unlawfully, leading to her arrest in June and release on warning. The home affairs department has argued in court that her visa applications and Nigerian passports suggest she was not a South African citizen, while Adetshina has said she used the proper legal channels to have her status determined. Her mother has Mozambican roots and her father is Nigerian.

The legal process has been delayed until February 2027 while her review challenge is completed, meaning she remains free for now. The dispute has become politically and socially sensitive in South Africa, where protests outside court have included anti-migrant groups. BBC Africa’s report suggests the case has become part of wider debates over citizenship, immigration and xenophobia in the country.