By: Natasha Archary
The Department of Home Affairs has issued Chidimma Adetshina’s mother a letter to explain how she came to be in possession of the South African ID which was used to register her daughter at birth.
This after the Department found prima facie evidence that fraud may have been committed by Adetshina’s mother, as the ID that was used was allegedly stolen from a South African mother.
In an update to the investigation into Adetshina’s citizenship, the Department shared that a tracing process was followed to identify the Home Affairs officials who may have been involved in the alleged fraud. One of the officials has since passed on and the Department is currently investigating two other officials who may have been involved.
“The Department has relied on its records to establish that the South African mother whose identity may have been stolen was registered by her mother in 1982, and as a result she entered the National Population Register.
Her birth was registered in Tswane. In 1995 she applied for an ID.
Three months after the application, she returned to Home Affairs to collect the ID.
On her return to Home Affairs, she learnt that her ID was issued in Johannesburg at an office she had not applied at.
She then gave birth in 2001 and when she went to register her child discovered there was a child registered under her name.
The child that was registered was Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina.”
Home Affairs has issued Adetshina’s mother with a Promotion of Administrative Justice Act letter on 07 August 2024.
The Department says the response Adetshina’s mother provides will determine the final decision that the Department will take in relationship to the ID she is currently carrying.
According to the Department, the investigation is at an advanced staged and now includes the involvement of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).
The Department’s probe noted that Chidimma could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother as she was an infant at the time when the actions took place in 2001.
Chidimma’s journey in the Miss SA 2024 pageant was marred after her surname sparked outrage and calls for a petition to remove her from the pageant were launched.
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