Gayton McKenzie weighs into Miss SA fraud and identity theft allegations

Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has taken to social media to give an update in the ongoing investigation into allegations of identity theft by the mother of one of this year’s Miss SA finalists.

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McKenzie thanked Home Affairs minister Leon Schreiber in his post – and hinted not-so-subtly at the good work being done by the new Government of National Unity (GNU).

McKenzie posted on X, formerly Twitter, late on Wednesday: “Our next step is to find the South African mother who suffered because her child’s identity was stolen. Thank you Minister @Leon_Schreib. Let’s blow open this whole racket and arrest should surely follow. #GNUatwork”

Our next step is to find the South African mother who suffered because her child’s identity was stolen. Thank you Minister @Leon_Schreib. Let’s blow open this whole racket and arrest should surely follow. #GNUatwork

— Gayton McKenzie (@GaytonMcK) August 7, 2024

Meanwhile, as detailed by The South African website, in the ongoing investigation into the citizenship of Chidimma Adetshina, the Department of Home Affairs says prima facie reasons exist to believe that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by the person recorded in Home Affairs records as Adetshina’s mother.

Adetshina is a contestant in the upcoming Miss South Africa pageant set to take place on Saturday, 10 August.

In a statement, the department said it wished to provide an update on the ongoing investigation into the citizenship of Adetshina.

Written consent from both Adetshina and her mother

The reason for the ongoing nature of the investigation, according to the department, is that its scope has broadened since the original request received from the organisers of Miss SA, based on the information uncovered by Home Affairs investigators thus far.

“On Monday, the organisers of the event sent the department a request to verify the citizenship of a contestant, Chidimma Adetshina.

The request was accompanied by written consent from both Adetshina and her mother.

“Upon receiving the request, the department deployed every resource at its disposal to establish the truth. This has included archival research, visits to hospitals and site visits to verify information,” it said.

From the information the department has uncovered thus far, the Department of Home Affairs has revealed that:

• prima facie reasons exist to believe that fraud and identity theft may have been committed by the person recorded in Home Affairs records as Adetshina’s mother.
• Adetshina could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother, as she was an infant at the time when the activities took place in 2001.
• An innocent South African mother, whose identity may have been stolen as part of the alleged fraud committed by Adetshina’s mother, suffered as a result because she could not register her child.

The department has broadened its investigation to identify and pursue any officials involved in the alleged fraudulent scheme and is obtaining legal advice on the implications of the alleged fraudulent activity on Adetshina’s citizenship status.

Criminal charges

Upon the completion of the investigation, Home Affairs intends to press criminal charges against all implicated parties.

There are ongoing engagements with all stakeholders, including Adetshina’s mother.

“This case, which stems from alleged fraudulent activities committed 23 years ago, highlights the urgent need for the digital modernisation of Home Affairs applications, adjudication and verification processes, to insulate the department against fraudulent interference, similar to the reforms undertaken at the South African Revenue Service in the late 2000s.

“The case also highlights the reason for the department’s blocking of certain duplicate IDs and that the court-ordered unblocking of these documents must be handled with caution,” said the department.

Throughout this process, Home Affairs said it was guided by its commitment to both restoring and upholding the rule of law as well as the rights of all parties. 

It said it provided the public update based on the official request received from Miss SA, as well as the consent provided by both the contestant and her mother.

“We will provide a final update once the investigation is concluded,” the department said.