Cape Town –South African authorities have arrested Anabela Rungo, the mother of beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina, for allegedly fraudulently obtaining South African citizenship. The Department of Home Affairs, with the help of the South African Police Service (SAPS), detained Rungo in Cape Town on Saturday morning.
According to Home Affairs, Rungo’s South African citizenship was revoked in September 2024 after an investigation found that her documents were obtained illegally. Despite this, she remained in the country using her Mozambican passport, which authorities say is a violation of immigration laws.
Home Affairs confirmed that further investigations are underway to determine if additional fraud was committed. Rungo is expected to be handed over to SAPS and the Hawks for legal processing.
Authorities also discovered that Adetshina’s young child was living with Rungo at the time of her arrest. The Department of Social Development is now working with SAPS to ensure the safety and well-being of the child.
This arrest follows last year’s controversy over Chidimma Adetshina’s nationality during her participation in the Miss South Africa pageant.
Questions were raised about her citizenship due to her Nigerian and Mozambican heritage. She later withdrew from the competition and went on to win Miss Universe Nigeria and finish as first runner-up at Miss Universe 2024.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into possible identity fraud linked to Rungo. Meanwhile, legal experts suggest that this case highlights the challenges in South Africa’s immigration and citizenship systems.
