Some South Africans have questioned her eligibility due to her Nigerian father, despite being raised in Soweto and having a South African mother with Mozambique roots. Her accent was also debated with claims that she sounds more Nigerian than she sounded South African. In a welcome development, the comments have been condemned by the Miss SA organization as xenophobic.
Chidimma Vanessa Onwe, a 23-year-old law student and South African citizen of mixed heritage, has been targeted online after advancing in the Miss South Africa pageant.
The Miss SA organization confirmed that Onwe has met all requirements, including South African citizenship and valid identification. They clarified that her mother is Zulu, highlighting her South African roots.
South African citizenship can be acquired by birth, descent (like Onwe), or naturalization. Birth includes children born in the country to permanent residents.
This incident underscores the ugliness of xenophobia, a menace that has plagued South Africa. While the term “xenophobia” means fear of foreigners in general, in South Africa, it primarily targets migrants from other African countries and to a lesser extent, South Asians. There are several factors at play. Economic hardship and high unemployment lead some South Africans to blame immigrants for taking jobs. This is the root of the backlash Onwe currently faces in the competition.