By Mapaballo Borotho

- The Cape Town Regional Court has heard that Chidimma Adetshina has legal documents proving she is a Nigerian citizen.
- Adetshina is challenging the Department of Home Affairs over her legal status after being arrested on alleged immigration-related offences.
- The matter has been postponed to 19 August 2026.
The Cape Town Regional Court has heard that former beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina is not stateless, as her legal team claims, because she has legal documents that recognise her as a Nigerian citizen.
The matter was heard on Tuesday, 21 July 2026, as Adetshina continues to challenge the Department of Home Affairs over her legal status in South Africa.
The former Miss Universe Nigeria was arrested in June after authorities alleged that she had entered South Africa unlawfully.
Immigration authorities also allege that Adetshina and her minor son were living in South Africa without legal immigration status.
In December 2024, the Department of Home Affairs declared Adetshina a prohibited person and invalidated her South African identity documents and passports.
The department says documents were fraudulently obtained after Adetshina’s mother unlawfully assumed the identity of a South African-born citizen.
The Department of Home Affairs is seeking Adetshina’s deportation to Nigeria, the country she represented at the Miss Universe competition after withdrawing from the Miss South Africa pageant in 2024.
Defence says South Africa is her only home
Appearing for Adetshina, her lawyer told the court that his client knows no other home besides South Africa.
Her legal representative, Barclay Beuthin, also argued that she has no meaningful ties to Nigeria.
“Her accent is South African. She was born here in 2001 and her father is a permanent South African resident. This is her home,” he told the court.
State says Adetshina has valid Nigerian documents
Advocate Rantho Motlalepule, representing the State, argued that Adetshina obtained Nigerian passports for herself and her son after her modelling career in South Africa did not progress as hoped.
The State further argued that she voluntarily entered the Miss Universe Nigeria competition at the first opportunity and went on to represent Nigeria on the international stage.
The matter was postponed to 19 August 2026.
The court is expected to determine whether Adetshina should remain in detention while the Department of Home Affairs proceeds with its deportation application.
READ NEXT: Another legal battle: What could save Chidimma Adetshina from deportation?



