“When Chidimma Wakes Up, Who Does She Identify As?”: ActionSA’s Ngobeni Asks Ahead of Miss SA Finale
- ActionSA Member of Parliament Lerato Ngobeni is the latest politician to add their voice to the Miss SA debate
- Ngobeni published a now-viral post tearing into the row, softening the blow by referencing her 17-year-old niece
- Highly-charged South Africans jumped onto the post, spewing everything from vitriol to circumspect arguments
Source: UGC
For the past few weeks, South Africans from all walks of life have been engrossed in the Chidimma Adetshina Miss South Africa (SA) 2024 debate.
Everyone from ordinary citizens to media personalities and even politicians has weighed in.
ActionSA MP Lerato Ngobeni chips in
The clamour has not receded in the lead-up to the live finale at the SunBet Arena at Time Square Casino in Tshwane on 10 August.
One of the latest political figures to chip in on the Adetshina Missa SA row is ActionSA Member of Parliament (MP) Lerato Ngobeni.
Taking to X in recent days, she wrote:
“You know, I wasn’t going to weigh in [until] my beautiful 17-year-old niece said to her mom: ‘[The] issue with Chidimma isn’t about citizenship [for] us but about identity. We want to see Nthabi, Tinyiko or Ntombi.’
Ngobeni added:
“When Chidimma wakes up, who does she identify as?”
The question proved to be thought-provoking and, once more, spurred throngs to chime in with their thoughts and arguments.
It translated into the post garnering considerable traction — almost 950,000 views — since Ngobeni published it almost 48 hours ago.
However, the National Assembly member doubled back to the post a day after the can of worms she opened struck a chord with willing commentators.
"My thought this morning: Some should take the time to read for meaning. South Africans have the right to feel how they feel. Miss SA is a patriotic competition to showcase and fly the flag of nation-states. How does Chidimma identify? South African 1st or what?"
"In the end, like the South African government's mismanagement of immigration, so too must the Miss SA Organisation be answerable. We should actually thank Chidimma for bringing this issue into the public discourse. That SA belongs to all who live in it [notion] is problematic!"
Locals jump in for back-and-forth
Netizens saw an opportunity to go after Ngobeni and her party rather than debate the matter at hand, adding an air of politicking to the discussion.
Briefly News looks at the heated remarks.
@El123V wrote:
"South Africans want a South African to represent them in Miss SA. It's not complicated."
@M_Jay94 said:
"You missed an opportunity to teach your niece that SA is [a] multicultural society. That Miss SA was won by a woman of European descent as recently as last year, and she looks nothing like Ntombi, and it’s okay. That Chidimma is contesting with an Asian South African who isn’t facing the same hate."
@MatJGeorge commented:
"Absolutely! The girl couldn’t even use the SA flag on her socials but made sure to use the Nigerian flag."
Lerato Kganyago's Miss SA rants draw attention
In related news, Briefly News reported that South African media personality Lerato Kganyago has been vocal about Miss SA 2024 finalist Chidimma Onwe Adetshina's participation in the national pageant.
Kganyago, a Miss SA judge, took to Instagram Live with fellow entertainer Somizi Mhlongo earlier this week to express her views on the raging public debate surrounding Adetshina's legitimacy to compete in the pageant.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
