Minister Gayton McKenzie. Picture: Gallo Images/Rapport/Edrea du Toit
Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has returned from the Paris Olympics, and one of the issues he is addressing is the case of Miss SA Top 11 finalist Chidimma Adetshina.
There has been an uproar as social media users question her right to represent South Africa given that she has a Nigerian father and a South African mother of Mozambican descent.
A video circulating on social media showing Adetshina celebrating with her family has brought the spotlight back on her. McKenzie commented, saying: “It’s giving funny vibes.”
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Miss SA has already addressed the concerns, saying that Adetshina is eligible to enter the competition.
According to the requirements on their website: “The applicant must be a South African citizen and in possession of a valid South African ID document or passport.
“If the applicant holds dual citizenship, they must provide details of both. All the Miss South Africa Top 30 contestants met these requirements.”
Social media users have called on McKenzie to intervene, and he has agreed to look into the matter.
“I just returned from Paris and will definitely gather more information tomorrow [Tuesday]. We cannot have Nigerians competing in our Miss SA competition. I want to get all the facts before I comment, but it already gives funny vibes,” McKenzie said on Monday.
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His comments have been met with both support and criticism, with some arguing that he is focusing on trivial matters.
“You want me to ignore the people who voted for me? You want me to ignore a legitimate question? I will get the facts and provide an answer. This is not gossip; that video raises legitimate suspicions,” McKenzie responded to the criticism.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema sparked debate last week by defending Adetshina’s candidacy in the Miss SA competition.
“Your citizenship is determined by where you were born, so if she was born here, she’s South African. It doesn’t matter. She’s not her parents; she’s herself. So why say she’s from Nigeria or Mozambique? She was born here,” Malema said in his party’s podcast.
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“We cannot punish people based on where their parents come from. I’ve not followed the debate closely, but I would assume Miss SA has done the necessary due diligence and determined that she is a suitable candidate. These are issues stirred up by those who spread hate among Africans. Such people should not be supported.”
Meanwhile, an online petition calling for Adetshina’s removal from the competition is 800 signatures shy of its goal of 5 000.
The petition questions her right to represent South African culture, arguing that her heritage is foreign.
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“There is a widespread belief that a beauty queen, in representing her country, must embody the core values intrinsic to her nation. As South Africa stands proud of its diverse cultural heritage, it is essential that those who represent it reflect its authentic traditional values and identity,” reads the petition.
“Ms Adechina, although born in SA, is a product of a Nigerian father and a South African woman of Mozambican descent − origins complex by nature − and thus, her ability to represent South African values may not be in alignment with traditional expectations.”
