Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina battles deportation in South African court

Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina battles deportation in South African court

Former Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 and Miss Universe Africa & Oceania, Chidimma Adetshina, has appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court to challenge the South African Department of Home Affairs’ attempt to deport her, as a legal battle over her immigration status continues to attract attention across Africa.

The latest court hearing followed an application filed by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, which is seeking judicial approval to continue Adetshina’s detention pending her deportation. Her legal team, however, argues that the deportation process is unlawful and has asked the court to halt the proceedings while her immigration status is fully determined.

Adetshina was arrested in June 2026 after the Department of Home Affairs alleged that she had entered South Africa without lawful immigration status after previously being declared a prohibited person. Authorities subsequently initiated deportation proceedings, while her lawyers insisted that she had been taking steps to regularise her stay in the country.

During the proceedings, Adetshina’s legal representatives argued that she is not a flight risk, describing her as a globally recognised public figure who has cooperated with immigration authorities throughout the process. They also informed the court that she is willing to surrender her South African passport if necessary and comply with any conditions the court may impose while the case is being determined.

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The defence further submitted an affidavit detailing the efforts Adetshina has made to regularise her immigration status, maintaining that she should not be detained or deported before the legal issues surrounding her residency are resolved.

The immigration dispute is the latest chapter in a controversy that first emerged during the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant.

Born in Soweto to a Nigerian father and a Mozambican mother, Adetshina was among the leading contestants for the Miss South Africa crown before withdrawing from the competition after questions were raised about her family’s citizenship documentation.

In August 2024, South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs announced that preliminary investigations suggested Adetshina’s mother may have been involved in identity fraud. Although the investigation focused on her mother’s documentation, the controversy triggered widespread online criticism and xenophobic attacks directed at Adetshina because of her Nigerian heritage, despite her being born in South Africa and meeting the pageant’s eligibility requirements.

Following her withdrawal from the South African competition, Adetshina accepted an invitation to contest the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 pageant, where she emerged winner and went on to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 competition.

She achieved international acclaim after finishing as first runner-up at the global pageant and was crowned Miss Universe Africa & Oceania, recording one of Nigeria’s strongest performances in the competition’s history.

Meanwhile, lawyers representing the Department of Home Affairs maintained that the agency acted within the law in declaring Adetshina a prohibited person and initiating deportation proceedings. They urged the court to uphold the department’s actions, arguing that immigration laws must be enforced consistently.

The case has also drawn legal attention following a recent ruling by the Western Cape High Court, which questioned the authority of magistrates to issue warrants authorising immigration detention. That judgment has become one of the legal issues being considered in Adetshina’s challenge against her continued detention.

After hearing arguments from both parties, the Cape Town Regional Court reserved judgment and adjourned the matter. The court is expected to deliver its ruling on August 19, 2026, a decision that could determine whether Adetshina remains in South Africa or faces deportation.

The outcome of the case is expected to have broader implications for immigration enforcement, administrative justice and the treatment of citizenship-related disputes in South Africa.

Former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina battles deportation in South African court