“The Department of Home Affairs has no real issues and cannot breach the Privacy Act,” the Home Affairs Minister said of the Miss South Africa contestants.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said his department would “not become embroiled in rumours” about the nationality of Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adesina.
Adesina's participation in the popularity contest has sparked huge controversy as she has a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, despite being born and raised in South Africa.
Adesina, 31, was born at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto and grew up in Pimville before moving to Cape Town with his parents.
WATCH: Leon Schreiber talks about Chidimma Adezeena
“There is not a single complaint with evidence. We are not going to get caught up in rumours” – Minister of Home Affairs Dr Leon Schreiber speaks during Miss South Africa finalist Chidimma Adesina's speech
Identity Saga translator yesterday. pic.twitter.com/j5ZNiBuvwP— Instigator (@Am_Blujay) August 6, 2024
“I have no complaints”
Schreiber said there was “not a single complaint with actual evidence” against Adetzina.
“One of the challenges the Home Office has had in recent years has been the number of court cases which have gone against the department. I have been very clear that we must return to the rule of law. What we will never do is say that if there is a fuss being made about a particular individual but the Home Office has no actual issue, then we cannot breach the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).”
“There is not a single complaint with actual evidence. We're not going to get caught up in rumors,” Schreiber said.
Related article: Mackenzie stirs controversy by saying she'll “be back with answers” about South African beauty pageant finalist Chidimma Adesina
Gayton will apologize.
Meanwhile, Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie said in a Facebook Live to members of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) that he would apologise if it was proven that Adetoise was a South African national.
“I don't know if this woman is South African or not, but as a leader I have to investigate. We are busy investigating and the media is pressuring me. So if the media's job is to reveal that she is born in South Africa, show me the proof that she is South African,” he said.
McKenzie said there would be an uproar if Adesina were to win the Miss South Africa pageant and it was proven that she was not South African.
“It will be an embarrassment for the country. If she is a South African we owe her an apology. We are the people, I am one of the people. If she thinks she is defaming us with her questions, I apologise. But I am now a minister and I will not be intimidated into not saying anything.”
“Subject to scrutiny”
“Any time you use yourself to represent South Africans you are opening yourself up to scrutiny,” McKenzie said in a post on X on Tuesday.
“South Africans should not be shamed or criticised for simply asking the necessary questions of the woman who wants to represent them as Miss South Africa,” McKenzie said.
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Representing South Africans means willingly subjecting oneself to scrutiny and South Africans should not be shamed or criticised for simply asking the necessary questions of a woman who wants to represent South Africa as Miss South Africa.— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) August 6, 2024
Miss SA addressed the concerns and said Adetosina was eligible to take part in the competition.
According to the requirements on the Miss SA website, applicants must be South African citizens and hold a valid South African identity card or passport.
Also read: Who will be crowned? Meet the top 11 Miss SA 2024 finalists [PICS]
