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Why is a South African model with Nigerian roots being targeted?

This Saturday, ten women will compete for the Miss SA crown. One of them is Chidimma Adetshina whose nationality is being questioned

鈥淚f South Africa was that hostile towards African immigrants, I would expect that people would stop coming. If South Africa was such a deadly place to be an African national, then why would you still be seeing South Africa top the charts on the lists of immigrants flocking here?鈥 - Makone Maja, Institute of Race Relations

Chidimma Adetshina, a 23-year-old model based in Cape Town will be among the ten women who will be hoping to walk away with the Miss SA crown, this Saturday.

But her participation has been rejected by some, questioning her nationality.

She was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother who has Mozambican roots.

The Patriotic Alliance, a party led by South Africa鈥檚 Minister of Sport, Arts & Culture, Gayton McKenzie, says it鈥檚 planning to interdict Chidimma from participating in the contest.

But there are many others who鈥檝e thrown their weight behind the 23-year-old.

They include political parties like Rise Mzansi and the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania.

Alan Kasujja attempts to find out why this issue is dividing South Africans.

UPDATE: On Thursday afternoon Chidimma Adetshina withdrew from the Miss South Africa contest. Her decision follows accusations from the Ministry of Home Affairs that her mother may have committed fraud and identity theft to obtain South African citizenship.

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