Security
SOUTH African authorities have explained the reasons behind the arrest and detention of Anabela Rungo, the mother of the reigning Ms Universe Africa and Oceania, Chidimma Adetshina, by Home Affairs.
According to a Homes Affairs, she was arrested for continuing to reside in South Africa after her documentation was revoked in September last year, over allegations of fraudulently obtaining her identity documents.
Rungo was detained after her arrest in Cape Town, weekend, in a joint operation by Home Affairs investigators and the South African Police Service, SAPS.
Explaining the reason for her detention, Siya Qoza, Home Affairs Department’s spokesperson, said Rungo was declared persona non grata in September 2024 after officials uncovered irregularities in 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 stated.
Qoza further shared that despite being declared undesirable, Rungo intentionally defied the country’s immigration laws and continued to stay in the country.
“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 said.
Meanwhile, it has emerged that Rungo, who is currently being detained by the South African authorities may be deported from the country.
An immigration lawyer, Ashraf Essop, told eNCA, that once your documents are declared invalid you have two options: “You either leave the country on your own, or be detained and deported”.
Essop, however, said the circumstances surrounding the invalidation of Rungo’s documentation in September last year remained unclear.
Essop suggested that had Rungo voluntarily surrendered her documents, arrangements for her deportation could have been made.
Adetshina’s mother came under scrutiny following the controversy surrounding her daughter’s participation in the Miss South Africa beauty pageant last year.
Chidimma Adetshina was deemed ineligible to contest as she was not a citizen of South Africa.
She later withdrew from South Africa as a contestant following the online bullying. Adetshina later contested and won the Miss Universe Nigeria 2024 after accepting an invitation from the Silverbird Group to participate in the contest.
She would go ahead to become the Miss Universe 2024 first-runner up in and Miss Universe Africa and Oceania.
vanguard
A.I
Feb. 17, 2025
Tags: Anabela Rungo Chidimma Adetshina
