S’African protesters demand Adetshina’s exit

Protesters gathered outside the Cape Town Regional Court, demanding that former Miss South Africa finalist Chidimma Adetshina leave South Africa. The demonstrators, part of the March and March movement, carried placards calling for Adetshina's departure as the court considered her immigration case and her bid to avoid detention before deportation proceedings.

Adetshina appeared in court as her legal battle to remain in South Africa continues. The case, initially focused on her citizenship and eligibility for the Miss South Africa pageant, has evolved into a complex dispute over immigration laws, detention powers, and contested identity documents. The Department of Home Affairs informed the court that Adetshina has no valid legal status in the country and requested authority to detain her pending deportation.

According to IOL, the department previously withdrew Adetshina's South African identity documents after investigating alleged irregularities linked to her and her mother's documentation. While the department noted Adetshina was a minor during the alleged fraudulent activities, it maintains she has no valid basis to stay in South Africa. Adetshina's legal team argued she has strong ties to the country and that her immigration status could be regularized, partly because she was born there. The court has postponed its judgment to February 27, 2027.