The Department of Home Affairs is currently making strides in uncovering a complex case of identity fraud involving the mother of Chidimma Adetshina.
The case came to light when a Pretoria woman discovered that her identity had been compromised, leading to a series of fraudulent activities under her name.
Timeline of Events
- 1995: The real ID owner applied for her identity document (ID) at the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria. When she returned to collect it, she was informed that her ID had mistakenly been sent to Johannesburg instead.
- 2001: The woman gave birth to her child and attempted to register the birth at Home Affairs. To her shock, she was informed that another child had already been registered under her name—this child was Chidimma Adetshina.
This discovery raised serious concerns and prompted the woman to dig deeper into the situation, revealing a fraudulent use of her identity that had persisted for years.
Chidimma Adetshina: A Miss South Africa Hopeful Turned Miss Universe Nigeria Contestant
Chidimma Adetshina recently made headlines when she withdrew from the Miss South Africa pageant due to a backlash concerning her nationality. Born to a South African mother and a Nigerian father, Chidimma’s journey has been anything but ordinary.
Less than a week after her withdrawal, Chidimma was invited by Guy Murray-Bruce, president of the Silverbird Group and organizer of the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, to join the competition.
Despite her initial hesitation—given that the top 24 contestants had already been selected—Chidimma accepted the invitation and will now represent Taraba State in north-eastern Nigeria as the 25th contestant.
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Ongoing Investigation
The Department of Home Affairs is actively investigating how Chidimma’s mother was able to register her birth under someone else’s identity.
This case highlights the vulnerabilities in the ID issuance process and raises questions about how many similar cases might be out there.
The real ID owner is currently working with authorities to resolve the situation and regain control of her identity.
[LISTEN] The Department of Home Affairs responding to questions in Parliament (Home Affairs PC) on what is the current identity status of former #MissSA contestant, Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina.
Including a response about the alleged involvement of her father (not just her… pic.twitter.com/cgVbeGHIKM
— Athi Mtongana (@AthiMtongana) August 20, 2024
This investigation could potentially lead to broader reforms within Home Affairs to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
