'I was born in South Africa', says beauty queen facing legal bid to deport her

Beauty queen Chidimma Adetshina, who is facing deportation from South Africa, has reiterated that she was born in the country and believes she has been "treated unfairly and targeted".

South African officials want her detained as they pursue her deportation after she was declared a prohibited person in 2024.

Adetshina, 25, whose mother has Mozambican roots and her father is Nigerian, was stripped of her identity documents after questions around her citizenship were raised when she took part in the 2024 Miss South Africa contest. She then left the country.

She was arrested in June this year - and later released on warning - after being accused of re-entering South Africa unlawfully.

On Wednesday, the government's legal case seeking her detention was postponed until next year.

Speaking after a hearing in Cape Town, Adetshina said "there has been an attempt" by the South African authorities to make an example of her with this case.

"I remind everyone that I was born in South Africa. I have applied through the proper legal channels to have my status and citizenship determined," she said.

The pageant contestant added that "we should not allow xenophobia and misinformation to determine how people are going to be treated", seemingly a shot to protesters who had gathered outside the court calling for her deportation.