South Africans react to Chidimma Adetshina’s first runner-up finish at Miss Universe 2024

South Africans have reacted to Chidimma Adetshina’s finish as the first runner-up at the 73rd Miss Universe competition held in Mexico City, Mexico on Saturday. 

The 23-year-old was at the centre of a controversy around her citizenship during her stint as one of the contestants in the 2024 Miss South Africa pageant. 

The beauty queen was born and raised in South Africa, but her mother is a Mozambican national and her father is Nigerian.

She was eventually forced to withdraw from the Miss South Africa pageant in August after the South Africa Home Affairs alleged that her parents had committed identity fraud to make her a South African citizen around the time of her birth. 

South African organisations, including Progressive Forces for South Africa, had petitioned the Miss Universe organisation for her to be excluded from the competition while SA Home Affairs announced that it had begun the process to revoke her SA identity and travel documents.

As congratulatory messages continue to pour in from Nigerians as well as Africans, mixed reactions have trailed her win among South Africans.

While some ascribed her success to her education in their country, others described her as a ‘first loser’, expressing their delight that she didn’t win the coveted title. 

Meanwhile, some of Chidimma’s biggest South African supporters, including Thuso Van Zyl described her success as a triumph of good over evil.