South Africans took to the streets in Cape Town on Wednesday, August 19, demanding that Nigerian beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina leave the country as her legal battle over her immigration status came before the Cape Town Regional Court.
Supporters of the March and March movement gathered outside the court, singing, chanting and displaying placards calling for Adetshina to leave South Africa.
“Chidimma, go home,” protesters were heard chanting as the court prepared to deliver judgment in the case.
The beauty queen was met by a crowd of reporters and protesters upon arriving at the court premises and was forced to run into the court to avoid the gathering.
Images and videos circulating from the scene showed demonstrators maintaining their protest as proceedings got underway.
Some of the protesters carried placards with messages including, “She claimed Nigeria and was crowned Ms Nigeria,” while another read, “Illegal immigrants are a burden in our country.”
The protest comes amid renewed attention to Adetshina’s complicated immigration and citizenship saga, which first attracted widespread attention during her participation in the 2024 Miss South Africa pageant.
Adetshina, who was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother of Mozambican descent, faced intense opposition during the pageant, with some South Africans questioning her eligibility to represent the country because of her Nigerian heritage.
She eventually withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition amid the controversy.
Following her withdrawal, Adetshina accepted an invitation to participate in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, where she emerged winner and went on to represent Nigeria at the Miss Universe competition.
The latest legal dispute centres on her immigration status in South Africa.
Adetshina was arrested in June 2026 after South African authorities alleged that she entered the country through the Lebombo border from Mozambique despite having previously been declared a prohibited person.
She is challenging the government’s attempt to detain her pending possible deportation.
Her legal team has disputed the authorities’ position, while the Cape Town Regional Court is expected to determine the matter.
The case has attracted significant attention in both South Africa and Nigeria, reopening debates over Adetshina’s citizenship, immigration status and the treatment she received during the 2024 Miss South Africa controversy.
As proceedings continued on Wednesday, protesters outside the court maintained their demand that the former Miss South Africa finalist leave the country.
Credit: CBS
