A South African court has postponed its ruling on whether the Department of Home Affairs can detain and deport former Miss Universe Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina.
Magistrate Reema Khorana of the Cape Town Regional Court reserved judgment on Monday until August 19. The delay followed the failure of both parties to reach an out-of-court settlement, despite earlier recommendations from the court to resolve the dispute privately.
The Department of Home Affairs is seeking to detain the 25-year-old pending deportation, alleging that she is an undocumented foreign national. Adetshina was arrested in Cape Town in June after immigration authorities accused her of re-entering South Africa after being classified as a prohibited person.
In a social media statement following the court proceedings, Adetshina acknowledged the physical and mental strain of the ongoing legal battle but stated her intention to continue contesting the deportation attempt.
“Exhausted — yes. Burnt out — yes. Depressed — yes. Will I give up? No! We no dey carry last. See you next month,” she wrote.
State prosecutors claim Adetshina obtained Nigerian passports for herself and her child in Lagos, secured a South African visa, and entered the country via Mozambique. The state also alleges that she remains in possession of a South African passport that she has refused to surrender.
Legal counsel representing Adetshina rejected the state’s claims, asserting that she was born in South Africa and has no substantial ties to Nigeria beyond her father’s nationality.
Her lawyers argued that the Department of Home Affairs invalidated her identity documents without due process, maintained that she is not a flight risk, and noted that the broader citizenship dispute is currently subject to a separate High Court challenge.
