Civil rights organisation AfriForum has acknowledged a formal request from a group calling itself Concerned South African Citizens to intervene in the ongoing citizenship and deportation dispute involving Chidimma Adetshina.

The request was logged under case reference AFK41089 after the group said previous letters to the Democratic Alliance and government departments had gone unanswered.

The group is calling for the consistent and transparent enforcement of South Africa’s immigration and citizenship laws, particularly by the Department of Home Affairs.

AfriForum has not confirmed that it has taken the matter on as a client or that it will pursue legal action. Its acknowledgement means the request has been received and logged.

The organisation has indicated that any action it takes would be pursued through lawful and democratic means, with a focus on the application of migration laws and accountability.

The dispute dates back to 2024, when questions were raised about Adetshina’s South African citizenship while she was a contestant in the Miss South Africa pageant. She withdrew from the competition after Home Affairs launched an investigation.

The department later said there were prima facie indications that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by the person recorded as Adetshina’s mother. Home Affairs also stated that Adetshina, who was an infant at the time, could not have participated in the alleged conduct.

Her South African identity and travel documents were subsequently withdrawn, and she was declared a prohibited person. She later became Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 and finished as first runner-up at Miss Universe.

Adetshina was arrested in June 2026 after Home Affairs alleged that she was unlawfully in South Africa. Her legal team has challenged the decision affecting her immigration status in the Western Cape High Court.

The Cape Town Regional Court has postponed the deportation-related proceedings to February 2027, pending the outcome of the High Court review. Adetshina has been ordered to remain at her current address and report regularly to an immigration officer.

Adetshina maintains that she was born in South Africa and has pursued legal channels to resolve her citizenship and immigration status.

The latest AfriForum development has sparked debate online, with some welcoming the request for greater accountability while others question the need for civil-society intervention in a matter already before the courts.

AfriForum has not announced its next steps.

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