- Chidimma Adetshina is set to appear at the Cape Town Regional Court to challenge the Department of Home Affairs’ bid to deport her
- The controversial beauty queen was arrested at her home in Cape Town for living in South Africa without valid documentation
- The former Miss Nigeria had previously vowed to permanently relocate to Nigeria after being forced out of the Miss South Africa pageant in 2024
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Chidimma Adetshina is fighting to stay in South Africa. Images: chichi_vanessa
Former Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina was back in the spotlight on 16 July 2026, this time not on a pageant stage but inside the Cape Town Regional Court, where she is fighting to remain in South Africa following her high-profile arrest.
X user Nobesutu_Hejana shared footage of the beauty queen arriving at the courthouse, where her legal team planned to present an affidavit outlining the efforts she has made to legalise her stay in the country.
Adetshina’s legal troubles stretch back to late 2024, when a Department of Home Affairs investigation into alleged identity fraud committed by her mother forced her to withdraw from the Miss South Africa pageant amid backlash.
The experience clearly shook her deeply, and she subsequently moved to Nigeria, where she represented the country at Miss Universe and finished as first runner-up. At the time, she was vocal about her intention to settle in Nigeriapermanently and distance herself from the controversy that had upended her life.
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Despite those very public declarations, Adetshina quietly returned to South Africa, where she was living with her young son. Her presence did not go unnoticed for long, as she regularly posted glamorous updates on her social media pages.
The Department of Home Affairs had cancelled her South African identity documents in late 2024 and classified her as a “prohibited person,” which meant that her movements in the country were being closely monitored. Investigators confirmed she had no legal status in the country before arresting her at her Summer Greens, Cape Town, residence in June 2026.
Watch Chidimma Adetshina’s videobelow.
Social media reacts to Chidimma Adetshina’s legal battle
South African social media users had a field day in the comment section.
“Miss Nigeria is fighting tooth and nail to not go back to Nigeria.”
“She must fight it from jail.”
“She irritates me so much because they are so proudly Nigerian but would fight to be in SA so bad. I hear Kenya is nice and much more developed than SA will ever be. Why don’t they go there? So annoying, these people.”
“A whole Miss Nigeria is fighting tooth and nail to live in xenophobic South Africa; what makes this entirely more hilarious is that she tried living in Nigeria for like a month, and she decided it was better to fight court battles than to stay in there.”
Sol Phenduka reacts to Ndodana Tshuma’s video
In an earlier report, Briefly Newsshared Sol Phenduka’s reaction to murder-accused Ndodana Tshuma’s video crying.
Following his arrest, Tshuma was captured appearing emotional in court, but Sol, along with his followers, was not moved by his tears.
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Moroba Moroeng (Entertainment editor)Moroba Maepa (née Moroeng) is the Deputy Head of the Entertainment desk at Briefly News, with nearly a decade of experience in South African media. A specialist in music and entertainment journalism, she began her career at Slikour OnLife before serving as Editor for HipHop Africa. A University of Johannesburg alumna and Google News Initiative certified professional, Moroba joined Briefly News in 2023, where she focuses on editorial excellence and leadership, merging her passion for entertainment with her love for storytelling.
Email: moroba.moroeng@briefly.co.za
