South Africa Removed As ‘Country In Focus’ At Puebla Festival Amid Adetshina Nationality Row

South Africa has been removed as the “Country in Focus” at the 2024 Puebla International Literature Festival (PILF) due to its handling of the controversy surrounding the nationality of Chidimma Adetshina, a contestant in this year’s Miss South Africa pageant.

The Puebla International Literature Festival (PILF), founded in 2024 by the Africa Center Mexico, is an annual event that celebrates literature and promotes cultural exchange across Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. The festival was set to feature South Africa as the “Country in Focus” for its maiden edition from October 4 to 6 in Puebla, Mexico, spotlighting the nation’s rich literary tradition.

However, in a statement released on Thursday, festival organisers announced the withdrawal of South Africa’s designation as the “Country in Focus” and cancelled the invitations extended to South African guests. The decision comes in response to what the festival’s director, Ikenna Okeh, described as the “victimization of Chidimma Adetshina, her family, and members of the immigrant communities in South Africa,” which he said runs counter to the festival’s principles.

“We regret to announce the decision to rescind South Africa’s designation as the Country-in-Focus for this year’s festival, and to rescind the invitation of our South African guests,” the statement reads. “This decision has been made after careful consideration of recent developments that have deeply troubled the African community.”

Okeh expressed sorrow over the situation in South Africa, where, he claimed, “the apparatuses of the state, coupled with the troubling silence of many within the cultural sphere, have enabled a climate of mob rule.” He noted that this environment led to the victimization of Adetshina, undermining the principles of justice, equality, and human dignity that literature seeks to uphold. Despite this decision, Okeh assured that Puebla would continue to support South African writers and thinkers.

LEADERSHIP reports that the controversy stemmed from the recent disqualification of Chidimma Adetshina, a 23-year-old model of Nigerian and Mozambican heritage, from the Miss South Africa pageant. Adetshina, who was born in Soweto, South Africa, had her eligibility questioned after the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) alleged that her mother may have committed fraud and identity theft.

On Thursday, Adetshina announced her withdrawal from the competition, which was set to culminate on August 10, 2024, in Pretoria. The winner of the pageant is expected to represent South Africa at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico later this year.