Adetsina
Adetsina 25,Former Miss Universe Nigeria is facing possible deportation from South Africa after she was allegedly found living in Cape Town without legal immigration status.
The 25-year-old beauty queen appeared before the Cape Town Regional Court on June 9 following her arrest in the Summer Greens area earlier this month. She was released on a warning and is expected to return to court on July 16 as South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs pursues her deportation.
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According to court papers filed by immigration officer Adrian Jackson, Adetshina and her minor son were found allegedly residing in South Africa unlawfully.
Jackson stated in an affidavit that Adetshina was already known to the department from a previous investigation.
“In this affidavit, I shall now motivate reasons for deeming it to be in the interest of justice to detain this person for the purpose of deportation to the country of origin,” he said.
The affidavit said officials conducted immigration status checks and interviewed Adetshina.
“After the above ‘status determination’ interview and the DHA residency IT systems checks, it was confirmed that the applicant does not hold any lawful RSA residential status and is thus an illegal foreigner,” Jackson’s affidavit reads.
“It is my submission that the illegal foreigner wilfully and intentionally remained resident unlawfully in RSA in contravention of the Immigration Act 13 of 2022.”
Jackson further asked the court to “confirm the detention of the illegal foreigner for the purpose of deportation in order for the Department of Home Affairs to fulfil its mandate in facilitating the removal of illegal foreigners from the Republic of South Africa”.
The latest development follows an earlier decision by South African Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, who in March dismissed Adetshina’s application to review the refusal of her and her son’s request for a letter of good cause.
In a written response, Schreiber said Adetshina failed to respond after being informed in September 2024 of the department’s intention to cancel her and her child’s South African identity documents.
“The department notified you of its intention … in September 2024, and you failed to respond,” Schreiber said.
He also alleged that Adetshina obtained a Nigerian passport in September 2024 and later applied unsuccessfully for a South African visitor’s visa after allegedly submitting a fraudulent bank statement.Demographics
“On 20 September 2024, you were issued with a Nigerian passport number … whilst you were in Nigeria, and you applied for a South African visitor’s visa, and your application was rejected because you submitted a fraudulent bank statement.
You did not appeal the rejection,” he said.
Schreiber said Adetshina was declared a prohibited person on December 19, 2024.
“In terms of the Immigration Act, a prohibited person does not qualify for any visa or permit to remain in the Republic,” he said.
The minister further alleged that Adetshina re-entered South Africa from Mozambique through the Lebombo border post while presenting herself as a South African citizen.
He said, “You re-entered South Africa through Mozambique, at the Lebombo border post, on 15 June 2024, presenting yourself as a South African citizen using passport number… and then applied for a letter of good cause, of which you failed the good cause test as stipulated in the Immigration Regulation 30(1).”
Schreiber also rejected the immigration application relating to Adetshina’s son.
“As the application for the minor child was submitted as a dependency on that of the primary applicant, his legal status is inextricably linked to hers,” he said.
“Given the rejection of the primary applicant’s request due to her prohibited status and the submission of fraudulent documentation, the minor child possesses no independent basis to remain in the Republic.”
After her first court appearance, the Cape Town Regional Court released Adetshina on a warning and postponed the matter to July 16. As part of her release conditions, she was ordered to remain at the address where she was arrested and notify immigration authorities of any changes to her residence, employment or movements while the matter is pending.
Adetshina became the subject of intense public debate in 2024 after emerging as a finalist in the Miss South Africa pageant. Questions were raised about her citizenship because her father is Nigerian while her mother has Mozambican roots.
The controversy led South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs to investigate her citizenship status.
In August 2024, Adetshina withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition, citing concerns for her safety and that of her family following weeks of online backlash.
Shortly after her withdrawal, organisers of Miss Universe Nigeria invited her to participate in the national pageant. She accepted the invitation, won the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 crown and went on to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico, where she finished as first runner up and was named Miss Universe Africa and Oceania.
Source:QEND
