South African officials have detained Anabela Rungo, the mother of Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, on charges of fraudulently acquiring a South African identification document.
The Department of Home Affairs stated that Rungo, a Mozambican national, was detained at a hideout in Cape Town on Saturday in a combined operation between Home Affairs investigators and the South African Police Service, according to local news portal Sunday World.
Siya Qoza, a department spokesperson, was quoted as saying that Rungo was declared persona non grata in September 2024 after inspectors discovered inconsistencies with her residency status.
“Investigators from the department, assisted by SAPS, detained Anabela Rungo at a property in Cape Town. The department withdrew Rungo’s South African documentation in September 2024 after finding that it had been fraudulently obtained, rendering her ineligible to continue residing in South Africa,” Qoza said.
Rungo’s status was called into question following the controversy surrounding her daughter’s participation in the Miss South Africa beauty competition.
It was eventually revealed that Adetshina was ineligible to run since she was not a South African citizen.
At the time of her arrest, Rungo was reportedly with Adetshina’s minor kid, prompting officials to contact the Department of Social Development and SAPS Kid Protection Services to secure the child’s safety.
Qoza accused Rungo of intentionally violating the country’s immigration restrictions despite being designated undesirable.
“It appears that Rungo has defied her ‘undesirable’ status through her Mozambican passport. Investigations are ongoing into further potential misrepresentation and fraudulent conduct.
“After being processed by Home Affairs over her illegal continued residence in South Africa, she will be handed over to SAPS, as she is also the subject of an ongoing Hawks investigation,” he added.
Chronicle NG reports that Adetshina, with Nigerian origin, withdrew from the Miss SA pageant and later contested in Miss Universe Nigeria, where she emerged as the winner following the revelation of her immigration status.
At the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico last November, she finished as first runner-up.
