Breaking news, Johannesburg – investigation involving 2024 Miss SA Chidimma Adetshina’s identity theft case by the South African Home Affairs now includes the involvement of the Hawks.
Providing an update on its report submitted to parliament on the investigation around Adetshina’s citizenship saga, the DHA revealed on Tuesday (August 20) that the mother, born in 1982, applied for her ID document in 1995 in Tshwane. When she went to collect her ID in Tshwane, officials informed her that it had been issued in Johannesburg, an office she had not applied for.
She later gave birth to a child in 2001. When she attempted to register her child’s birth, she learnt there’s a child who had already been registered under her ID number. That child was Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina, the names the 2024 Miss SA top 11 drop-out now identify with.
The mother spent months trying to obtain a birth certificate for her child. The department eventually issued her a new ID number, allowing her to finally register her child.
The department said it has since visited the address listed for Adetshina’s mother, as well as that of a woman whose identity was stolen. “The information shared by the family of a lady whose ID was stolen in Tshwane matches the details contained in DHA records,” it said in a statement
The department has also identified three officials allegedly involved in registering Adetshina’s birth. One of the officials has since passed away, while the other two are being investigation.
Following these findings, DHA said it issued Adetshina’s mother with a Promotion of Administrative Justice Act letter. “Her response to this letter will determine the final decision that the department will take in relation to the ID she is currently carrying.”
According to the department, given these findings, Adetshina’s legal status in South Africa can be deemed as fraudulent.
“Now that her mother’s status is in question, in the event that the DG finally cancels that ID document, it will mean that the registration of Adetshina’s birth itself was fraudulent, therefore that status cannot stand in law,” said the department, before providing another confusing explanation: “She would qualify to apply for an ID, assuming that she was born in the country.”
Hawks investigation, unblocking of ‘fraudulent’ IDs
Advocate Constance Moitse, head of the counter-corruption unit at DHA said the investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities involving Adetshina’s citizenship is now at an advanced staged.
“This investigation now include the involvement of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, the Hawks. The department’s drive towards the digitisation will eliminate instances of fraudulent interference.” The case, she added, highlights the need for caution as the DHA implements the court order on blocked IDs,” Moitse said in the back of this week’s warning by DHA that nearly 700,000 people may have their IDs cancelled if not reported within 30 – as it hopes to reduce high fraudulent documents currently in circulation.
This follows January 2024 high court’s order to resolve nearly two decades-old challenge of wrongfully blocked IDs. The court instructed Home Affairs to release some of IDs it blocked on suspicion of fraud as the department had not followed proper procedure.
Some IDs were originally blocked as far back as 2005 for a range of reasons, including the biometric system flagging the documents held by illegal immigrants as duplicates, or because the ID holder had passed away.
On the alleged fraudulent activities involving Adetshina’s citizenship status, the department said it’s currently obtaining legal advice, and will provide a detailed update in due course.
