Credit: King Mshotinarry, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
South Africa is no stranger to xenophobic tensions. Decades of apartheid, a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination where the white minority ruled over the black majority, created deep social divides. It wasn’t just a political system but a brutal racial discrimination that left many black South Africans impoverished. After apartheid collapsed in 1994, economic inequalities persist, fueling resentment toward immigrants, especially Nigerians, that continues even in the modern day. Despite the bond of African unity, Nigerians living in South Africa have been targeted repeatedly, often facing brutal discrimination, violence, and social exclusion. While some of these attacks are driven by economic frustrations, Chidimma Adetshina’s recent experience in the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant puts a fresh, heartbreaking face on the issue—an intersection of xenophobia and deeply ingrained Eurocentric beauty standards.
A Beauty Queen Needs More Than Just Beauty
Her father from Nigeria and her mother from Mozambique, Chidimma has spent the majority of her life in South Africa. When she entered the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant, it seemed natural. She was representing the country she had called home for over two decades. But things quickly took an ugly turn. Her Nigerian roots made her the subject of fierce online attacks, with many questioning her right to compete. The situation worsened when South African authorities launched an investigation into her mother’s South African citizenship. The negativity and suspicion were so overwhelming that Chidimma ultimately decided to withdraw from the competition, stating that it had taken a serious toll on her health. Despite having lived in South Africa for 23 years, Chidimma was suddenly seen as a foreigner, “not South African enough” to represent the country. It’s a feeling that far too many Nigerians living in South Africa have had to grapple with. Chidimma’s ordeal, however, demonstrates how this issue reaches beyond physical violence into the more subtle (but equally damaging) realm of social exclusion.
Hypocrisy Displayed
As Chidimma withdrew, another contestant rose to prominence—Mia le Roux, who was crowned Miss South Africa 2024. Mia, a white contestant, was widely celebrated for her resilience as the first differently-abled woman to win the title. While her victory was groundbreaking in terms of inclusivity, it also exposed a deeper truth about beauty standards in South Africa. Mia’s crowning was a testament to how Eurocentric beauty ideals still dominate, even in a country as diverse as South Africa. While Mia, of European descent, was praised for embodying strength and beauty, Chidimma, a woman with mixed African heritage, was shunned. Both women’s roots lay outside of South Africa, so the contrast between their experiences is stark and indicative of the wider issue of Eurocentrism in beauty pageants. In a nation where whiteness is still seen as the “gold standard,” black women like Chidimma are left fighting not only for their place in the competition but also for recognition of their identity.
Adetshina Burning Bright
Chidimma Adetshina’s grit, even in the face of xenophobic backlash, is proof of the strength of Nigerians living in South Africa. Her decision to step back from the Miss South Africa pageant, only to go on and win Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, is a powerful reminder that no amount of hatred can diminish one’s identity or potential. However, her story also serves as a wake-up call. Xenophobia in South Africa is far from resolved, and unless governments and societies actively work toward inclusivity, this cycle of violence and exclusion will continue. For now, Chidimma stands as a beacon of hope—proof that even in the face of xenophobia and discrimination, one can rise above.
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