Miss Universe Africa Chidimma Adetshina’s Mother Detained In South Africa, Faces Deportation
Anabela Rungo, mother of Miss Universe Africa and Oceania 2024, Chidimma Adetshina, has been detained by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs over allegations of identity fraud.
Rungo was arrested on Saturday at a residence in Cape Town after authorities discovered she was still living in the country despite her South African documents being revoked in September 2024. The Department of Home Affairs had previously declared her documentation fraudulent, rendering her ineligible to remain in South Africa.
In a statement, the Department, in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS), confirmed Rungo’s detention, alleging that she continued to reside in the country by using her Mozambican passport despite being classified as “undesirable.”
“In an apparent act of brazen disregard for the legal consequences of her conduct, it appears that Ms. Rungo has defied her ‘undesirable’ status through her Mozambican passport,” the statement read.
Authorities are now conducting further investigations into possible misrepresentation and fraud linked to Rungo’s residency status.
Immigration lawyer Ashraf Essop explained that individuals whose documentation is invalidated in South Africa must either leave voluntarily or face detention and deportation.
“Once your documentation is declared invalid, you either leave the country on your own or be detained and deported,” Essop stated.
He added that had Rungo voluntarily surrendered her documents, her deportation could have been arranged without detention and further legal consequences. The reasons behind the revocation of her South African documents in September 2024 remain unclear.
Complicating the case further, Adetshina’s young child was found living with Rungo at the Cape Town residence. Authorities are now working to ensure the child’s safety, with Home Affairs confirming it is collaborating with social services and SAPS Child Protection Unit.
Rungo has since been handed over to the SAPS for further legal processing, with the case now under investigation by the Hawks.
The detention follows ongoing scrutiny surrounding Chidimma Adetshina’s nationality. The law student and beauty queen, of Nigerian and Mozambican descent, withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition last year amid controversy over her citizenship. She later represented Nigeria at Miss Universe, finishing as the first runner-up and earning the title of Miss Universe Africa and Oceania.
Although Adetshina previously stated she had no plans to return to South Africa, a viral video surfaced on Monday showing her at a Cape Town restaurant, Life Grand Café, sparking public backlash. Calls for accountability have intensified, with a petition demanding the removal of Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber gaining traction.
