By: Natasha Archary
Celebrities such as Lerato Kganyago, Pearl Thusi, Somizi and DJ Sbu are rallying behind Miss South Africa 2024 finalist, Chidimma Adetshina who has been on the receiving end of xenophobic remarks.
This after the 23-year old law student’s surname sparked public outrage, and many South Africans calling for her to be removed from the pageant because she has Nigerian roots.
Although Chidimma was born and raised in Soweto, her parents’ heritage was the contention amongt most on social media, and a petition to remove the divorced, single mom from the pageant has been launched.
The situation has escalated to the point that Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture, Gayton Mckenzie’s remarks were slammed as being insensitive and xenophobic after he responded to a social media user saying “we cannot allow Nigerians in Miss SA.”
During an Instagram Live conversation, Somizi and Lerato talked about how Chidimma being subjected to black on black hate must be affecting her self-esteem and identity.
Lerato who is a judge on Crown Chasers, raised concerns over the dangers of social media and said that people are putting Chidimma’s life in danger.
Actress Pearl Thusi also took to her social media to highlight that previous Miss SA 2001, Vanessa Carreira was born to Portuguese-Angolan parents.
Pearl said the situation with Chidimma is the same, it’s just because she’s black that there are double standards.
“I think it is really problematic. As soon as she was born in South Africa, she was South African, effective immediately. As soon as she left the womb she was South African. It is what it is.
She is born in South Africa, raised in South Africa; therefore, she is South African.
If she was a white girl and her parents were French, you would have never noticed. But because her name is what it is, now it’s a big deal.”
DJ Sbu called out people who started a petition to remove Chidimma Adetshina from the Miss SA pageant, saying if that same energy was put into improving communities or making a positive difference we could get further as a country.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema also rallied behind Chidimma, saying your citizenship is determined by where you are born.
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