You’d think that in a country where the sun shines bright and the vuvuzelas hum, everyone would have a bit of extra warmth to spread around. But alas, in the vibrant land of South Africa, there seems to be one thing more powerful than the sun: good old-fashioned xenophobia.

South Africa, a place known for its rainbow nation and a people who have every reason to hold hands and sing “Kumbaya” all day long, somehow finds itself battling an ironic truth. The real struggle isn’t with the old colonial masters they’ve somehow managed to get along just fine but rather with their fellow African brothers and sisters. And who was the latest unfortunate recipient of this deeply ingrained, and, let’s face it, slightly misplaced anger? None other than the lovely Chidima Adetshina.

Now, Chidima isn’t just any contestant. She’s South African-born and of mixed heritage, a living embodiment of the very diversity South Africa claims to celebrate. Yet, when she dared to dream of wearing the Miss South Africa crown, things took a decidedly ugly turn. You’d think that with a competition already brimming with women of mixed races, diversity would be celebrated with open arms. But no! The mere fact that Chidima wasn’t considered “South African enough” was enough to fan the flames of hatred.

The whispers soon turned into a full-blown outcry. How dare Chidima, with her Nigerian roots, even think of becoming Miss South Africa? The bullies emerged from their corners of the internet, picking up their virtual pitchforks and taking aim at her. The harassment became so intense that Chidima, fearing not just for her safety but for her family’s as well, decided to bow out of the contest.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get worse, the haters dug up an age-old tale about Chidima’s mother, accusing her of being illegitimate and even stealing someone’s identity to live in South Africa. If this weren’t so tragic, it would be the stuff of a soap opera!

In the end, all this drama didn’t stop the Miss South Africa title from going to a foreigner
The winner of the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant is Mia le Roux. She was crowned on August 10, 2024, during a ceremony at the Sun Bet Arena in Pretoria. Mia is a 28-year-old model.
An ironic twist that had other African nations like Ghana and Zimbabwe shaking their heads in disbelief.

So, here we are, South Africa. A country where everyone should be dancing to the same drumbeat, but instead, they’re tripping over their own feet, caught in the tangle of their prejudices. Maybe next time, instead of focusing on where someone comes from, the focus can be on where they’re headed. After all, isn’t beauty supposed to be more than skin-deep?

By Edima Columbus