Top 16 Finalist Faces Backlash in Miss South Africa Contest

Chidimma Adetshina, a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant, has become the target of xenophobic attacks despite being born and raised in South Africa.

The 23-year-old from Soweto has encountered criticism on social media over her Nigerian father, with some questioning her eligibility to represent South Africa.

The beauty pageant has firmly defended Adetshina, stating that she meets all entry requirements and is a South African citizen with valid documentation. The organisation emphasised that the pageant’s rules require all contestants to be South African citizens, regardless of their parents’ origins.

Adetshina has expressed her dismay at the xenophobic remarks, noting that the negativity intensified as she advanced in the competition. Her supporters argue that her achievements as a model, law student, and advocate for gender-based violence should overshadow the divisive comments about her background.

The situation echoes a past controversy faced by Vanessa Carreira in 2001, who won the title despite having Portuguese-Angolan parents.

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