South African model Chidimma Adetshina’s is being attacked on social media, and this is the reason why
‘To be honest, I just feel that all of this is Black-on-Black hate …’
Originally published on Global Voices
Screenshot of Chidimma Adetshina from YouTube, ‘Miss SA 2024 Finalist Chidimma Adetshina’s Participation Sparks Debate‘ by Skai Cole Podcast. Fair use.
A South African model, Chidimma Vanessa Owen Adetshina, advanced to the top 13 contestants of the Miss South Africa beauty pageant, only to face backlash on social media over her eligibility to compete because of her nationality.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) said:
She might have dual IDs, but that doesn't make her South African. She's still 100% Nigerian.
— P_MAX (@DDT_PM) July 17, 2024
Another added:
That’s not a SA model, we don’t know that imposter pic.twitter.com/j1ttXG0Qru
— Tebogo Koma (@TheGeopol) July 21, 2024
Others asked her to withdraw from the contest and even went ahead to sign a petition.
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
As highlighted by Times Live news, social media users’ debates heated up this week after a video emerged online showing Adetshina with a group of family members, some wearing Nigerian traditional attire, celebrating her success in the competition. This video, shown in the tweet below, fueled the argument that she was not “South African enough” to compete for the title.
Dear @Official_MissSA, the pan africanists have been telling us that having a South African ID makes you one. Well, what about patriotism, what about celebrating it's people and culture. Based on this video I don't see a proud SAn, I see a proud Nigerian. What a disgrace. pic.twitter.com/GxgLheFyMq
— Julius Oaganga (@afroghanga) July 29, 2024
Some prominent politicians were involved in the discussion. The leader of ActionSA Party, Herman Mashaba said on X, “This young woman is compromising herself by identifying with characters who are likely in South Africa illegally. Bad idea.”
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema addressed the matter during the party's podcast interview last week, saying, “Your citizenship is determined by where you were born, so if she was born here, she’s South African. It doesn’t matter. She’s not her parents, she’s herself. So why say she’s from Nigeria or Mozambique? She was born here.”
Gayton McKenzie, the South African minister of sports, arts and culture, expressed concern about Adetshina's participation and stated he would look into the matter.
According to Sowetan Live, Adetshina was born in Soweto to a South African mother and a Nigerian father; her mother also has Mozambican roots. The 23-year-old law student and model was raised in Soweto but later moved to Cape Town, and she says she has spent her whole life in South Africa.
Adetshina told Sowetan Live in an interview, “At first I ignored it, but as I progressed in the competition, the criticism started growing. I thought to myself, I am representing a country, but I don’t feel the love from the people I’m representing. I even asked myself, is it worth it?”
She added, “To be honest, I just feel that 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. I just feel like the attention is on me because of my skin colour which I think is a disadvantage … it’s also been something I had to overcome growing up.”
According to News Live, the Miss SA pageant organization confirmed that Adetshina has met all the requirements to participate in the pageant. The entry requirements, as highlighted by TRT Afrika, include that a contestant must be a South African citizen and in possession of a valid South African ID document or passport. If the applicant holds dual citizenship, details of both nationalities must be provided.
Meanwhile, another contestant, Sherry Wang, who is competing for the third time, has received some negative comments but not nearly as much as Adetshina has received and continues to receive.
South African Model, Sherry Wang's entry video for Miss South Africa 2024.
She won the Fan Vote which placed her among the Top 25 contestants.
This is her third entry into Miss South Africa. pic.twitter.com/FGvwhv6lU9
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) July 21, 2024
This TikTok video by TRT Afrika notes that Vanessa Do Céu Carreira won the Miss South Africa contest in 2001 despite having parents of Portuguese and Angolan heritage.
Some people believe the attack against Adetshina is xenophobic, as migrants have faced discrimination and increasing violence in South Africa since 1994, with the most recent being the formation of the group Operation Dudula.
As highlighted in this TikTok video, there is a fear among South African citizens that foreigners, mostly African immigrants, are coming in to steal their jobs and commit crimes, which is overwhelmingly not supported by facts or data. According to the TikTok video, this problem is perpetuated by politicians who take advantage of immigrants, scapegoating them for the difficulties many South Africans face. They blame foreign immigrants to avoid taking responsibility for their own failures and redirect the fury towards the most vulnerable, who are often immigrants trying to make a life in this country.