Hawks roped in to investigate Chidimma Adetshinna’s identity saga

The Home Affairs Department has served Chidimma Adetshina’s mother with a Promotion of Administrative Justice Act Letter.

The letter affords the person a chance to tell their side of the story before any decision is taken.

It also seeks to protect the public from unlawful, unreasonable and procedurally unfair administrative decisions.

This comes as the probe into the former Miss SA contestant’s ethnicity continues.

The government has now decided to rope in the Hawks to assist in further probing the matter.

The latest development comes on the back of the department’s revelation that there is prima facie evidence that her mother may have committed fraud and identity theft.

Appearing before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Home Affairs, the Head of the counter-corruption unit, Advocate Constance Moitse, says they will await a response from Chidimma’s mother to determine the next steps.

The Department of Home Affairs says it has also identified the officials who registered the birth of Adetshina at the Home Affairs Office in Johannesburg.

According to the department, one of the officials has since passed on, whilst two others who may have been involved in the alleged fraudulent interference, are being investigated.

Adetshina withdrew from the Miss SA competition, just two days before the finale.

Her decision to stay in the competition despite the noise surrounding it divided the nation and even saw prominent figures come out in her defence including Adv Thuli Madonsela, Pearl Thusi, Dj Sbu and Lerato Kganyago amongst others.

The 23-year-old’s story has reignited the debate about the country’s immigration system, identity theft and marriages of convenience, which many say is the reason for the migration crisis that the country is grappling with.

South Africans have taken to X, following the revelations by the department.

Chidimma was the biggest scam Nigerians ever wanted to pull on SAns publicly

— Bee Lolo (@lolobee052) August 20, 2024

Guys, a year has 12 months. The DHA does not specify how far apart(weeks/months) these incidents happened during the year 2001. Chidimma might have been born earlier within the same year than the other child and registered. The DHA did say she was an infant when this happened.

— Nonhlanhla (@nonhlanhla_ch) August 20, 2024

Her mother messed up her life tbh, she knew very well that she stole someone’s identity but didn’t tell Chidimma to leave Miss SA. https://t.co/1Yj2j5jT0P

— 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐧. (@_ShaunKeyz) August 20, 2024

Chidimma’s situation is very sad… Her parents messed up everything for her.

Now this matter will go on for another month.

— Penelope (@Petite_Penny) August 20, 2024

How do you steal a South African Identity and register your child with Nigerian names?

How selfish & stupid was this woman?

She couldn’t even name her child Onnalena, Lerato or Lungi to make it look real? did she think Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina sounds South African?

— Blessed be the fruit (@itsjustmewethu) August 20, 2024

Her Nigerian arrogance helped open a can of worms! They undermined the voice of the people. Chidimma is not a victim. https://t.co/GVwGzAoY6X

— Her Majesty (@mmaagwe_Thipsy) August 20, 2024

 

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber has also expressed concern saying that there is a syndicate that seems to be operating in the department.

Schreiber says fraud and identity theft are continuous issues that will threaten the country’s national security if nothing is done to curb them.

The minister also touched on the issue of the 95 Libyans who were found at a military camp in Mpumalanga, where they were receiving military training.

The men were deported earlier this week after their visas were found to have been fraudulently issued.

Schreiber says there needs to be a complete digitisation of the Home Affairs department to prevent more cases of this nature.