Home Affairs deputy minister Njabulo Nzuza confirms investigations are under way into Miss SA contestant Chidimma Adetshina following an uproar that she was not a South African and could not participate in the competition.
Nzuza said they received a request to look into the matter and findings will be communicated.
This came after it was revealed that Adetshina’s father was ostensibly Nigerian while the 23-year-old’s mother was believed to be from Mozambique.
Several have criticised Adetshina for not being a good enough representative of South African culture, citing her greater adherence to her father’s Nigerian culture despite that she was born in the country.
“The issue of Miss South Africa, the policy and I think over the past week set out that the policy and law is very clear.
“For a person to be South African you need to have been born out of South African parents or one of your parents must have been South African. The policy is very clear.
“What we don't do, we don't go around discussing people's private information,” he said.
He said this would be a waste of resources to check if everyone walking in the streets was South African.
“I mean how much resources will you want to invest in busy checking over people almost everyday,” he said.
He along with other ANC NEC members were addressing the media on crime and gender-based violence (GBV), immigration and local government intervention and water issues on Tuesday.
The ANC is concluding its NEC Lekgotla which focused on pressing matters facing the country.
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) has also launched an investigation into the matter, saying she was not an SA Ambassador.
While others have come to support Adetshina, suggesting that she must be allowed to be part of the competition.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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