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.
Members and supporters of the March and March movement gathered outside the court, singing, chanting and holding placards calling for Adetshina to leave South Africa.
“Chidimma, go home,” protesters chanted as the court prepared to deliver its judgment in the case.
Adetshina was met by reporters and protesters when she arrived at the court premises and reportedly ran into the building to avoid the crowd.
Images and videos from the scene showed protesters continuing their demonstration as proceedings began.
Some demonstrators held placards bearing messages such as, “She claimed Nigeria and was crowned Ms Nigeria,” while another stated, “Illegal immigrants are a burden in our country.”
The demonstration comes amid renewed attention on Adetshina’s immigration and citizenship status, an issue that first attracted widespread public attention during her participation in the 2024 Miss South Africa pageant.
Adetshina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother of Mozambican descent. During the pageant, she faced significant opposition from some South Africans who questioned 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 as the winner and subsequently represented 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 considerable attention in both South Africa and Nigeria, reviving debates surrounding Adetshina’s citizenship, immigration status and the treatment she faced during the 2024 Miss South Africa controversy.
As proceedings continued on Wednesday, protesters outside the court maintained their call for the former Miss South Africa finalist to leave the country.
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