The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) is appalled by the bullying and outrage towards the Miss South Africa Pageant finalist Chidimma Adetshina, and condemns in the strongest terms, the aspersion cast on her Citizenship by the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie. Minister McKenzie’s remark that it gives “funny vibes” on his X account was irresponsible and appalling because it strengthened the bullies, instead of giving courage to Chidimma.
The Xenophobic Minister, Gayton McKenzie, has regrettably contributed to the bullying of Chidimma, strengthening the Internet Trolls who have spewed vitriol against the finalist of Miss South Africa when questioning the legitimacy of her citizenship and eligibility to compete in the Miss South Africa pageant.
Chidimma’s contestation in the Miss SA pageants is an affirmation that she is South African because a non-negotiable eligibility criterion is citizenship. Miss SA as an organisation would not have admitted her in the first place if she was not. Those trollers questioning her citizenship, argue that she was born to Mozambican and Nigerian parents, and solely based on this parentage, her citizenship is questioned.
Even if this claim of foreign parentage is right, unfortunately, it is a wrong premise to begin from. SA citizenship of children born to foreign parents in South Africa will be approved due to the “citizenship by birth” upon turning 18 years old. Even the citizenship of those not born in South Africa can be approved based on the naturalisation framework, subject to meeting requirements. The main law that gives a legal framework for the attaining of citizenship is the South African Citizenship Act and its amendments, and defines citizenship as follows:
• Citizenship by Birth:
This applies to any child who was in South Africa to South African parents, or even if one parent is South African and another a foreigner.
Children of foreign parents who were born here and have no citizenship elsewhere can apply for citizenship once they turn 18.
• Citizenship by Descent:
If a child is born outside South Africa to South African parents, they can be registered as a South African citizen by descent.
• Citizenship by Naturalization:
The granting of citizenship to someone who has come to South Africa from outside and stayed in this country for some time.
However, the issue goes beyond merely clarifying citizenship and providing a legal framework to that effect. The probe that led to the social media storm was triggered by the name and surname of the Miss SA contestant. Therefore, it raises the question: does it stem from widespread prejudice of South Africans against Africans? That any African name that is not identifiable with any South African ethnic group mean someone is not a citizen?
The fact that her citizenship was doubted because of the name indicates that there are elements of prejudice against Africans, and this storm can pass off as Xenophobia. In that context, SAFTU condemns xenophobia and any form of bullying against South African citizens mistaken to be immigrants. Further, we condemn bullying and persecution against immigrants from other African countries and across the world. The sad dynamic produced by years of racial inferiority complexes is that Xenophobia in South Africa only expresses itself as a phenomenon against Africans and non-white groups.
SAFTU wishes courage to Chidinma Adetshina to overcome the bullying and contest for the crown of Miss SA undeterred even after this unfortunate, unnecessary, and distasteful uproar.
