Beauty Contest Sparks Row Over Who Counts As South African

When law student Chidimma Adetshina clinched a coveted spot as a Miss South Africa finalist, her triumph unleashed a vicious backlash, unearthing a seam of xenophobia that lies close to the surface for some in the country.

The 23-year-old’s name hints at her connection to Nigeria, but internet detectives wanted to know more and combed through every inch of her life. They found that her father is Nigerian and though her mother is South African, her family had come from neighbouring Mozambique.

"On behalf of South Africans, we don’t recognise her and that name! She better start packing and go home,” raged one commenter on X.

But where is home? Ms Adetshina is South African, as verified by the organisers of the pageant. She has said in interviews that she was born in Soweto - the township next to Johannesburg - and grew up in Cape Town.

However, the “go-home” sentiment, and even harsher attacks, flooded social media. There was also a petition demanding her removal from the high-profile televised competition that amassed more than 14,000 signatures before it was taken down.

The country’s Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie, the leader of the Patriotic Alliance party, which has joined a coalition government and made migration issues a key part of its platform, chimed in.

“We truly cannot have Nigerians compete in our Miss SA competition. I wanna get all facts before I comment but it gives funny vibes already," he said on X.

The issue has touched a nerve in South Africa that goes beyond who will appear on stage at the final next weekend.BBC