Chidimma Adesina is a contestant in the upcoming Miss South Africa pageant.
The Ministry of Interior said it had launched an investigation into Chidimma Adesina's nationality and found superficial evidence that her mother had committed fraud.
Adetoina is a contestant in the upcoming Miss South Africa pageant.
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.
investigation
Interior Minister Leon Schreiber provided details of the ostensible evidence on Wednesday.
Schreiber said the investigation was ongoing because it had been broadened since its original request by Miss SA organisers, based on information previously uncovered by Home Office investigators.
“The event organisers requested authorities to verify the nationality of contestant Chidimma Adesina. The request was accompanied by written consent from Adesina and her mother.”
Related article: Home Affairs Minister speaks out on South African nationality debate over Chidimma Adesina [VIDEO]
Superficial evidence
Schreiber said that following the request, police did everything they could to uncover the truth.
“This will include archival research, hospital visits and site visits to verify information.”
“From the information uncovered thus far, the Ministry of Interior is able to demonstrate that there is superficial reason to believe that the individual listed in the Ministry of Interior's records as the mother of Ms. Chidimma Adesina may have committed fraud and identity theft,” Schreiber said.
Schreiber said Adetzina was a toddler when the incident occurred in 2001 and therefore could not have been implicated in her mother's illegal activities.
“Innocent South African mothers whose identities may have been stolen as a result of the fraud allegedly perpetrated by Adetosha's mother have suffered as a result of not being able to register their children.”
Criminal liability
“The Interior Ministry is expanding its investigation to identify and pursue officials involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme and is obtaining legal advice regarding the impact of the alleged fraud on Ms. Adetosina's nationality. Once the investigation is complete, the Interior Ministry intends to bring criminal charges against all parties involved,” Schreiber said.
Schreiber said discussions were ongoing with all parties involved, including Adetzina's mother.
“This case, which has its roots in fraud allegedly committed 23 years ago, highlights the urgent need to digitise and modernise the Department of Home Affairs' application, adjudication and verification processes to protect the department from fraudulent interference, similar to the reforms made at the South African Revenue Service in the late 2000s.”
“This case also highlights why the State Department blocks certain duplicate IDs, and the unblocking of these documents via court order must be treated with caution,” Schreiber said.
Last updated
Schreiber said the department will provide a final update once the investigation into the Adetzina case is concluded.
Adesina, 31, was born at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, grew up in Pimville and then moved to Cape Town to live with his parents.
apology
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 on me. So if the media's job is to reveal that she was born in South Africa, show me the documents that show she is South African.
McKenzie said there would be an uproar if Adesina were to win the Miss South Africa pageant and prove she was not South African.
Also read: Who will be crowned? Meet the top 11 Miss SA 2024 finalists [PICS]
