Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has pledged to apologize should it be confirmed that Miss South Africa finalist Chidimma Adetshina genuinely holds South African citizenship.
The participation of Adetshina, who claims to have been born in South Africa despite her Nigerian paternal heritage, has stirred controversy. In a discussion with Patriotic Alliance (PA) supporters on Facebook Live, McKenzie emphasized his commitment to safeguarding opportunities for South Africans over foreign nationals.
McKenzie recently expressed concerns on social media about the legitimacy of Adetshina’s claims, noting the situation seemed “dodgy.”
“I don’t know if she’s South African or not. But as a leader, I must investigate. We are busy investigating and the media is on top of me. So I’m saying if it’s the media’s job to bring out that she was born in South Africa, show us the paperwork that she’s a South African,” McKenzie stated.
He also shared his apprehension about the potential repercussions if Adetshina were to participate in international competitions without verified South African citizenship.
“It’s going to be embarrassing for the country, and if she’s South African we must apologise – we the people, I’m one of them – if she thinks that we cast aspersions by asking, I will apologise. But I’m not going to be intimidated and say nothing because I’m a minister now,” he added.
#Minister #McKenzie #Vows #Apology #Citizenship #Finalist #Confirmed
