South African authorities have arrested Anabela Rungo, the mother of Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, on charges of fraudulently obtaining a South African identity document.
According to the Department of Home Affairs, Rungo, a Mozambican national, was taken into custody on Saturday in Cape Town during a coordinated operation involving Home Affairs investigators and the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Department spokesperson Siya Qoza confirmed the arrest, stating that Rungo had been declared persona non grata in September 2024 after officials uncovered irregularities in her residency status.
“Investigators from the department, with assistance from SAPS, detained Anabela Rungo at a property in Cape Town. Her South African documentation was revoked in September 2024 after it was discovered to have been fraudulently obtained, making her ineligible to reside in the country,” Qoza stated.
Authorities began scrutinizing Rungo’s immigration status after questions arose regarding her daughter’s eligibility to participate in the Miss South Africa beauty pageant. It was later confirmed that Adetshina did not qualify as a contestant since she was not a South African citizen.
At the time of her arrest, Rungo was reportedly with Adetshina’s minor child. Officials from the Department of Social Development and SAPS Child Protection Services have since intervened to ensure the child’s welfare.
Qoza further alleged that Rungo had deliberately violated South Africa’s immigration laws despite her prior ban.
“It seems Rungo continued to defy her ‘undesirable’ status by re-entering the country using her Mozambican passport. Investigations are ongoing into other possible instances of misrepresentation and fraudulent activity,” he added.
Following her arrest, Rungo will be processed by Home Affairs for illegal residency before being handed over to SAPS, as she is also under investigation by the Hawks.
Adetshina, who has Nigerian heritage, withdrew from the Miss South Africa competition after her citizenship status was questioned. She later participated in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant, won the title, and finished as the first runner-up at the Miss Universe contest in Mexico in November 2024.