South African authorities have detained Anabela Rungo, the mother of Miss Universe Africa 2024 Chidinma Adetshina, over allegations that she fraudulently obtained South African identity documents.
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs confirmed in a statement on Saturday that Rungo was arrested at a property in Cape Town, adding that her South African documents were revoked in September 2024 after they were found to have been obtained illegally. As a result, she was deemed ineligible to reside in the country.
Authorities have accused Rungo, a Mozambican national, of breaching her “undesirable” immigration status by remaining in South Africa using her Mozambican passport. Investigations are ongoing into further possible fraud and misrepresentation.
Ongoing Citizenship Investigation
Rungo was found with her minor child when she was arrested on Saturday morning. Authorities said she will be handed over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for further legal action as she is also being investigated by the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation. The Department of Social Development and the SAPS Child Protection Unit have been contacted to ensure the welfare of the minor.
Rungo reportedly has two options: leave South Africa voluntarily or face deportation.
The controversy surrounding Rungo also extends to her daughter Adetshina, whose citizenship has been under review since August 2024. Authorities have launched an investigation following preliminary findings suggesting that Rungo may have used a stolen South African woman’s identity to register Adetshina’s birth on January 8, 2001.
As a result of the dispute, Adetshina, who aims to compete for the Miss South Africa 2024 title, moved her modeling career to her father’s home country of Nigeria. She won Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 and later came second in the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico.
The 24-year-old finished second behind Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig, who emerged as the overall winner out of nearly 130 contestants.