The case of Chidimma Adetshina, who came under national scrutiny between August and September, sheds light on the levels of xenophobia and anti-immigration sentiment in South Africa. The 23-year-old model\u2014born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and South African mother\u2014was forced to withdraw from the \u00ab\u00a0Miss South Africa\u00a0\u00bb competition due to online abuse and the wave of hatred that followed her entry into the event’s Top 16. The situation is even more troubling when we consider the moral implications of Adetshina’s forced withdrawal: not only was she unable to participate in \u00ab\u00a0Miss South Africa,\u00a0\u00bb but she was also prevented from representing her country at the global \u00ab\u00a0Miss Universe\u00a0\u00bb competition. Critics argued that the Nigerian-South African model was not fit to represent South Africa on the international stage, as she was deemed \u00ab\u00a0not South African enough.\u00a0\u00bb How did this complex situation unfold?<\/p>\n
\u00ab\u00a0I am Proudly South African and Proudly Nigerian\u00a0\u00bb<\/strong><\/p>\n In early July, Chidimma Adetshina made it into the Top 16 finalists of \u00ab\u00a0Miss South Africa,\u00a0\u00bb placing 13th in the semifinals. The young woman, who resides in Cape Town, had a strong chance of winning the competition and representing South Africa at \u00ab\u00a0Miss Universe,\u00a0\u00bb competing with other beauty queens from around the world. However, Chidimma\u2019s dream was gradually shattered by a growing wave of xenophobic hatred against her. Many, after her placement among the finalists of the South African beauty contest, began to question whether the daughter of an immigrant could truly represent South Africa on the global stage. The matter even prompted an intervention by Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Bheka Nzuza, who had to confirm Adetshina’s citizenship after it was questioned in televised talks.<\/p>\n Nzuza explained that \u00abnot all individuals born in South Africa can obtain citizenship. One parent must be a South African citizen or hold permanent residence in the country\u00bb. Since Adetshina\u2019s mother is South African, she is also a South African citizen. However, this clarification was not enough to silence those opposed to the beauty queen\u2019s presence in the national contest. After weeks of media scrutiny and online insults, the situation worsened. According to The Guardian, the tipping point was rumors that Adetshina had chosen to identify as Nigerian rather than South African. These speculations stemmed from a video showing Adetshina celebrating a Nigerian holiday with her family. In response to the growing hate, she told SMag that she \u00abaccepts all criticism\u00bb from the online public, but also clarified that her mother is a South African citizen, albeit of Mozambican descent.<\/p>\n