South African authorities have arrested Anabela Rungo, the mother of reigning Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidinma Adetshina, on charges of identity fraud.
Rungo, a Mozambican national, was apprehended in Cape Town during a joint operation by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Department of Home Affairs. She is accused of illegally obtaining a South African identity document despite being declared an “undesirable person” in September 2024 due to irregularities in her residency status.
Her immigration status came under increased scrutiny after controversy surrounding her daughter’s participation in the Miss South Africa beauty pageant. Adetshina was ultimately disqualified from the competition after it was discovered she did not hold South African citizenship.
During the arrest, law enforcement officers also found Rungo at a private residence with Adetshina’s minor child, prompting intervention from the Department of Social Development and SAPS Child Protection Services to ensure the child’s welfare.
Authorities suspect Rungo may have used her Mozambican passport to bypass immigration laws, and further investigations into possible fraudulent activities are ongoing.
Following her detention, she is expected to be handed over to law enforcement officials, including the Hawks, South Africa’s elite crime-fighting unit, which is also conducting an investigation into the case.
Chidinma Adetshina, who has a Nigerian father, withdrew from the Miss South Africa pageant amid the nationality controversy. She later won the Miss Universe Nigeria title and finished as the first runner-up at the Miss Universe competition held in Mexico last November.
