Chidimma celebrating with Nigerians infuriates already irritated South Africans

July 30, 2024 3844

The debate on social media on whether Miss SA finalist, Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina, should continue in the competition has boiled over, with some South Africans now calling for the 23-year-old to pull out of the competition and resolve the issue of her nationality.

The Soweto born contestant has faced scrutiny and backlash after it was revealed that her father is Nigerian, while her mother is of Mozambican descent.

The fallout escalated today with a heated exchange breaking out on X between EFF MP, Naledi Chirwa, and some social media users after she blasted the Arts and Culture Minister, Gayton McKenzie, for saying he will look into the controversy.

You’re not “Patriotic” at all. You don’t know the South African Constitution. You don’t respect South African governance office at EXECUTIVE level. You don’t know South African history. You don’t know South African statistics on ANYTHING, not even your favorite subject. https://t.co/HnpjWwuuXv

— Fighter 🇵🇸 (@NalediChirwa) July 30, 2024

The conversation around the young woman has brought to the fore questions about what it means to be a South African; who has the right to participate in the competition? Is it a matter of identity, citizenship or having ubuntu?

According to the Miss SA website, entrants must be South African citizens and in possession of a valid South African ID or passport. If an applicant holds dual citizenship, they must provide details of both on the entry form.’

While Chirwa believes Adetshina should be allowed to contest since she has a South African citizenship, some locals believe there’s nothing South African about her and her win will only strengthen the Nigerians’ hand who they accuse of drug dealing and human trafficking.

This is what I wrote on the petition to remove Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina from Miss SA. I have also scheduled an email that’ll go through tomorrow at 7am. #MissSA2024 pic.twitter.com/olSj69UQjt

— kgalalelo matlhabe (@kgali_matlhabe) July 29, 2024

Natasha is not representing South Africans, South Africans, she is representing her party there. She is just an ordinary member of parliament, but will never be a President. Miss SA is an SA pride and the holder becomes and Ambassador to the world.

— Siyanda Sithole 🇿🇦🇨🇳 (@SciyandaSithole) July 30, 2024

She has 3 days to pull out of Miss SA or there won’t be Miss South Africa next week, court papers are ready pic.twitter.com/qKf51nR4fZ

— Gobetse 🇿🇦 (@TheRealGobetse) July 29, 2024

Today’s X fallout erupted after a video of the 23-year-old with some men in Nigerian traditional attire trended yesterday.

Believe or not I want Chidimma to succeed as an African child. I hope she gets bank money after Miss South Africa. But I draw the line in her becoming a representative of South Africa. There’s nothing South African about her. @Official_MissSA pic.twitter.com/y6nHI9xEib

— Julius Oaganga (@afroghanga) July 29, 2024

Other South Africans, however, believe the contestants’ detractors are being unfair and Afrophobic.

When will bullying this girl be enough for you? You have been told repeatedly that she is South African. Niyam’nyela straight. Problem yenu is not “foreigners,” problem yenu is hatred for fellow Africans and minds made soft & pap by Apartheid to hate black. @ me, don’t care. ♥️

— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) July 30, 2024

And this is the thing. Xenophobia in South Africa is violent. People get physically harmed. People get killed. And ous are saying “now that she’s hugged her dad in a video I really do understand what the people who want to expel or exterminate foreigners are saying 🙂” https://t.co/X2Clm1V1sE

— 🔻🇵🇸🫒🍉🔻 (@SunBirdZAKH) July 30, 2024

“Your citizenship is determined by where you were born, if she was born here she’s South African it doesn’t matter. Chidima Vanessa Onwe is not her parents she’s herself so why do you want to say she’s from Nigeria or from Mozambique she was born here” EFF President Julius Malema… pic.twitter.com/FGIH2ZXC6Y

— News Live SA (@newslivesa) July 26, 2024

In a recent interview with another media house, the young woman at the eye of the storm expressed frustration over the backlash.

“I feel all of this is black-on-black hate, as I’m not the only one in this competition who has a surname that’s not South African,” she said.

The Miss SA Organisation CEO, Stephanie Weil, has also caught fire in the controversy – with some social media users suggesting that the pageant should just be scrapped.

The woman who gave the Nigerian imposter keys to Miss SA.

“The biggest problem with the Miss SA organisation is Stephanie Weil (The CEO). Take a deep look at her and how she does things.

I came to know her back when Shudufhadzo Musida won the Miss SA competition. She is a pure… pic.twitter.com/i55dzYa3XQ

— Kwena Molekwa (@Miz_Ruraltarain) July 30, 2024

YNews has reached out to the Miss SA organisers and they said they will not be commenting on the matter at this stage.