Amid the ongoing investigation into the citizenship of former Miss South Africa finalist Chidimma Adetshina, the Department of Home Affairs said the court-ordered unblocking of duplicate IDs must be handled with caution.
According to the department, the issue of Adetshina’s citizenship has highlighted the reason for the department’s blocking of certain duplicate IDs.
Adetshina withdrew from the competition two days before the pageant finale, after making it to the top 11, following controversy relating to her citizenship.
In a statement posted on social media, Adetshina said she had withdrawn “for the safety and well-being” of herself and her family.
Home Affairs said: “The reason for the ongoing nature of the investigation is that its scope has broadened since the original request received from the organisers of Miss SA, based on the information uncovered by Home Affairs investigators thus far.
“The department nonetheless provides this public update based on the official request received from Miss SA, as well as the consent provided by both the contestant and her mother.
We will provide a final update once the investigation is concluded.”
The department indicated that it intended to press criminal charges against all implicated parties.
“This case, which stems from alleged fraudulent activities committed 23 years ago, highlights the urgent need for the digital modernisation of Home Affairs applications, adjudication and verification processes, to insulate the department against fraudulent interference, similar to the reforms undertaken at the South African Revenue Service in the late 2000s.
“The case also highlights the reason for the department’s blocking of certain duplicate IDs, and that the court-ordered unblocking of these documents must be handled with caution,” it said.
Home Affairs confirmed that since it had received the request from the pageant organisers on August 5 to verify Adetshina’s citizenship, it had conducted research, visits to hospitals, and site visits to verify information.
It said prima facie reasons exist to believe that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by the person recorded in Home Affairs records as Adetshina’s mother.
The department also broadened its investigation to identify and pursue any officials involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme, and is obtaining legal advice.
Last week, ActionSA chief whip Lerato Ngobeni said the incident involving Adetshina was but one more in a long list of abuses, corruption and criminal circumvention of the country’s immigration laws spanning decades.
Ngobeni said during the period that was probed by the ministerial review committee, led by former government director-general Dr Cassius Lubisi, a host of irregularities were found between October 2004 and December 2020.
Ngobeni said the ministerial review committee on the issuance of permits and visas revealed that 36 647 fraudulent permits and visa applications were detected and 12 177 were from Nigerian nationals alone.
Since her withdrawal from the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant, Adetshina has been invited to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant.
The national director of Miss Universe Nigeria, Guy Murray-Bruce, said: “As a Nigerian by heritage, we would like to formally invite you to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024.
“This is an opportunity to represent your father’s native land on an international stage. We believe you would be an outstanding contender.”
Cape Times