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Activists urge government to act against identity theft

todayOctober 31, 2024 64

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The dark cloud hanging over Chidimma Aditshina seemingly refuses to go away even after she left South Africa and went on to win the Miss Nigeria Universe.
As the race to the Miss Universe heats up, South Africans who believe she is not fit to represent the nations of the world have taken it up to themselves to appeal to the conscience of the Miss Universe organisers and ask that she be disqualified from the contest.
https://www.change.org/p/chidimma-adetshina-should-not-participate-in-miss-universe?source_location=tag_
Adetshina and her mother are under investigation for identity theft and fraud in the country after how her mother acquired her citizenship came under scrutiny.
Their South African identity and travel documents have now been revoked after they missed a Monday deadline to motivate why they should retain the documents.
The 23-year-old model is already in Mexico for the Miss Universe competition that many believe she shouldn’t be part of.

One of South Africa’s anti-illegal migrant activists who also supports the call, Kwena Molekwa, says she looks forward to the day when South Africans will be able to take government court for turning a blind eye to the identity theft that’s plaguing the country.
Molekwa says too many innocent South Africans have had their lives derailed and affected by individuals who pay the right amount of money to corrupt Home Affairs officials.
The Miss Universe Nigeria’s identity saga has been a bone of contention here in South Africa after her run for the Miss SA title raised eyebrows.

Molekwa who first raised the alarm over the model’s shady believes that law enforcement authorities should have barred Adetshina from leaving the country. She believes they could have pounced on the 23-year-old and her mother when she and other political parties gave them proof of her questionable citizenship.

She says while some might criticise individuals like her for fighting so hard for accountability, they just need to understand that this case is just a tip of the iceberg as many others don’t make it to the news.
The Progressive Forces have also weighed in, saying they penned the letter to the Miss Universe pageant because it concerns both national pride and the integrity of our immigration system.
“Allowing someone like miss Chidimma to participate on a global stage while her identity is being questioned in South Africa is criminal. She left amidst of her mother being questioned and her mother failed to answer these questions regarding her identity. It is a well-known fact that she was first attempting to contest for Miss SA but eventually due to public outcry fled to Nigeria🇳🇬.”
While criticism and concerns mount among South Africans over the way the Home Affairs Department handled this issue, the movement remains optimistic that government can turn the tide and do better.
“…there is room for improvement in how Home Affairs handled the situation. Timely and thorough verification of citizenship status is crucial to prevent situations like this from escalating. If there were clearer, faster processes for verifying documents and citizenship, much of the confusion and frustration could have been avoided. A more proactive approach from Home Affairs—ensuring that cases are examined quickly and transparently—would help to avoid similar situations in the future and build public trust.”

Written by: Nokwazi Qumbisa

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