SA ‘may be cast as a xenophobic country’

How the issue surrounding the former Miss South Africa contestant Chidimma Adetshina is being handled might negatively affect SA’s international reputation, an expert says.

Adetshina made headlines after her eligibility to participate in the country’s biggest pageant was questioned due to allegations that she was not a SA citizen.

It was alleged that her mother is from Mozambique and her father from Nigeria.

Not handled well

Internationally renowned reputation management expert Tshepo Matseba said from the beginning the issue was not handled well and this will dent the country’s international image.

Matseba said if the pageant’s organisers had verified all the participants’ information and communicated the concerns properly it would have not tempted Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie to go public about the allegations without having all the facts.

“He spoke about the issue and that raised an important debate but it would have been much better if all the facts were checked. Even now what we have is just an outcome of the preliminary investigation. We are still waiting for the final results.”

Matseba urged the organisers of events that serve as a build-up to international events to make sure that they verify the identity of the people involved.

He said there were national and international conversations taking place about the saga and people would judge SA to be a xenophobic country.

ALSO READ: Miss SA issue highlights misguided xenophobia

Representing Nigeria

While the department of home affairs continues with investigations, Adetshina is preparing to contest in the Miss Universe Nigeria. She will represent Nigeria internationally if she wins.

Switzerland-based brand reputation strategist Solly Moeng said: “This young lady was caught in a storm that she did not create.

“But if it comes out that her parents manipulated the system to obtain SA citizenship it must be corrected.”

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