Ancestry alone does not define national identity, and we must uphold South Africa’s core values of inclusivity, justice, and humanity.
The recent revelations about Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina’s mother's alleged fraudulent acquisition of her identity documents have forced her out of the Miss South Africa pageant and led to a chorus from the chest-beating, we-told-you-so mob.
However, while the rule of law must indeed be upheld, we cannot lose sight of the fact that Chidimma is, at her core, South African.
The have even been some ugly calls to strip her of her citizenship and send her to Nigeria or Mozambique.
These are not just legally and morally problematic — they are deeply inhumane.
First and foremost, Chidimma was born in South Africa, raised in South Africa, and has lived her entire life as a South African.
Her identity, her experiences, and her cultural ties are deeply rooted in this country.
To remove her from South Africa based on her mother's alleged crimes would be to rip her from the only home she has ever known.
The notion that she should suddenly be uprooted to Nigeria or Mozambique, countries where she has no real ties beyond her ancestry, is akin to rendering her stateless—a cruel and unjust fate for someone who had no control over the circumstances of her birth.
This situation mirrors the troubling rhetoric emerging from the United States, where right-wing voices, including Donald Trump, have called for mass deportations of immigrants, even those who were born in the country.
These calls often target individuals who have lived their entire lives as Americans, contributing to society and embodying the values of the nation.
To deport them would be to deny their fundamental identity as Americans, reducing them to their ancestry rather than recognising them as individuals who belong to the country of their birth.
If we in South Africa follow the path of such rhetoric, we are no different from those who seek to marginalise and dehumanise immigrants and their descendants in other parts of the world.
We would be aligning ourselves with the very same right-wing ideologies that we have often condemned for their xenophobia and intolerance.
Is that who we want to be as a nation?
South Africa’s identity has always been complex and multifaceted. Our history is one of struggle, resilience, and the continuous effort to build a society that embraces all who call this land home.
The Freedom Charter, a document that has guided our democracy, declares that “South Africa belongs to all who live in it”.
This is not a selective statement; it does not exclude those whose parents may have come from elsewhere, nor does it invalidate the experiences of those who have grown up here.
We must ask ourselves: What does it truly mean to be South African?
Is it a matter of ancestry, or is it about where you were born, where you were raised, and where you have lived your life?
For Chidimma, South Africa is not just a place on a map – it is her identity.
To take that away from her would be a grave injustice.
Furthermore, the focus on her mother’s alleged crimes should not overshadow the fact that Chidimma herself has committed no wrongdoing.
“She is the fruit of a poisoned tree,” is the argument that I have seen all over social media but punishing her for her mother’s actions not only undermines the principles of justice but also sets a dangerous precedent where children are held accountable for the sins of their parents.
This is a slippery slope that could lead to further injustices, not just for Chidimma, but for others who find themselves in similar situations.
While the legal processes surrounding this case must continue, we must also remember our humanity.
Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina is South African — by birth, by upbringing, and by identity.
Stripping her of that identity would not only be wrong but would also betray the values for which South Africa stands.
* Lee Rondganger is the Deputy Editor of IOL.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
IOL Opinion