A petition calling for the removal of Miss South Africa judge Lerato Kganyago has received just more than 2,000 votes four days after its launch. The call came after her defence of contestant Chidimma Vanessa Adetshina, who has been subjected to scrutiny on social media for not being “South African enough”.
Despite being born in South Africa, many have criticised Adetshina’s suitability to represent the culture of South Africa, arguing she embraces her father’s Nigerian culture more. Her mother is Mozambican.
Others have came out to support Adetshina, including radio and TV personality Lerato, who said proper research was done by the organisation to determine her eligibility to compete.
“South Africans have found it easy to attack black women because we are seen as weaker. I spoke about how I refuse to be in an organisation that is not honest. Proper research was done, and documentation was completed. Do you understand? My opinion is based on facts. A factual investigation has been conducted. It’s so sad that every week people are coming up with something that her mother isn’t from here,” Lerato said.
Her remarks led to the establishment of a petition to remove her from the Miss SA judging panel. The petition, however, has not gained many votes. It argues that Kganyago’s remarks compromise the fairness and integrity of the competition. By Tuesday morning it had 2,399 signatures.
“Competitions like Miss SA play a crucial role in celebrating the diversity and talent of our young women. Therefore, maintaining their integrity is of supreme importance.
“The goal of this petition is to advocate for Lerato Kganyago’s disqualification as a judge. In doing so, we aim to uphold the cornerstone values of any competition: fairness and impartiality. We call on the management of the Miss SA contest to review the situation and ensure the contest is free from any form of bias. Each signature on this petition is a stand for fairness and equality,” the petition reads.
The official crowning of Miss SA will take place on August 10.