By: Bayero Ade
The South African government has provided an official explanation for the arrest and detention of Anabela Rungo, the mother of reigning Miss Universe Africa and Oceania, Chidimma Adetshina.
According to Allnaijadiaspora, The Department of Home Affairs stated that Rungo was taken into custody due to her continued stay in the country despite her residency documents being revoked in September 2024 over allegations of fraudulent acquisition.
Rungo was apprehended over the weekend in Cape Town during a joint operation involving Home Affairs investigators and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Speaking on the matter, Siya Qoza, spokesperson for the Home Affairs Department, clarified that Rungo had been declared persona non grata in September 2024 after authorities uncovered irregularities in her residency status.
“Investigators from the department, with assistance from SAPS, detained Anabela Rungo at a property in Cape Town,” Qoza stated.
He further explained that Rungo’s South African documents were withdrawn in 2024 after it was discovered that they had been obtained fraudulently, making her ineligible to continue residing in the country.
Despite being classified as an undesirable immigrant, Rungo allegedly defied South Africa’s immigration laws by remaining in the country using her Mozambican passport.
“It appears that Rungo has circumvented her ‘undesirable’ status through her Mozambican passport. Investigations are ongoing into possible further misrepresentation and fraudulent activities. Once she has been processed by Home Affairs, she will be handed over to SAPS, as she is also a subject of an ongoing Hawks investigation,” Qoza added.
Reports suggest that Rungo could face deportation following her detention.
Speaking to eNCA, immigration lawyer Ashraf Essop explained that individuals whose residency documents are revoked have two options: “Either leave the country voluntarily or face detention and deportation.”
However, Essop noted that the specific circumstances that led to the invalidation of Rungo’s documentation in September remain unclear. He suggested that had Rungo willingly surrendered her documents, a structured deportation process could have been arranged.
Rungo’s case has attracted attention partly due to the controversy surrounding her daughter, Chidimma Adetshina, during last year’s Miss South Africa beauty pageant. Adetshina was disqualified from the competition after it was determined that she was not a South African citizen. Facing online harassment, she withdrew from the pageant and later participated in the Miss Universe Nigeria contest, which she won. She eventually placed as the first runner-up at Miss Universe 2024 and was crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania.
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