The South African government has announced the arrest of Anabela Rungo, the mother of Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidinma Adetshina, on charges of fraudulently acquiring a South African identity document. The Department of Home Affairs confirmed this in a statement on Saturday, noting that the operation was carried out by Home Affairs investigators in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Rungo, a Mozambican national, was apprehended at a hideout in Cape Town during the operation. Siya Qoza, a spokesperson for the Department, stated that Rungo had been declared persona non grata in September 2024 after officials identified irregularities in her residency status.
“Investigators from the department, assisted by SAPS, detained Anabela Rungo at a property in Cape Town. The Department revoked Rungo’s South African documentation in September 2024 after determining that it had been fraudulently obtained, making her ineligible to remain in South Africa,” he added.
It’s worth noting that Chidinma Adetshina withdrew from the Miss South Africa pageant amid controversy regarding her nationality and allegations of identity theft against her mother.
