The Puebla International Literature Festival has officially revoked South Africa’s designation as the Country-in-Focus for this year’s event. The festival organizers, set to host the event in October, announced on Thursday evening that they have also withdrawn the invitations extended to South African guests. This decision follows the victimization of Miss South Africa finalist, Chidimma Adetshina, and her family.

Adetshina, a strong contender in the Miss South Africa competition, recently announced her withdrawal from the pageant. The festival, known for celebrating literature and promoting cultural exchange, gathers renowned authors, emerging writers, literary enthusiasts, and cultural aficionados from across Africa, Latin America, Europe, and Asia.

Climate of ‘Mob Rule’

In a statement released on X, Ikenna Okeh, the director of the Puebla International Literature Festival, expressed deep concern over the recent developments that have troubled the African community.

“It is with a sense of sadness that we acknowledge the distressing events in South Africa, where the apparatuses of the state, coupled with the troubling silence of many within the cultural sphere, have enabled a climate of mob rule,” Okeh stated.

He added, “This has led to the victimization of Chidimma Adetshina, her family, and members of immigrant communities in South Africa, thus undermining the very principles of justice, equality, and human dignity that literature seeks to uphold. We cannot, in good conscience, honor a country as a focal point of our celebration when it is currently embroiled in such profound injustice, as has been gathering momentum following the Miss South Africa beauty pageantry.”

Adetshina’s withdrawal was prompted by an investigation by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) into the verification of her citizenship, following a request from the Miss South Africa organizers. DHA Minister Leon Schreiber stated that an innocent South African mother had her identity stolen as part of the fraud allegedly committed by Adetshina’s mother.

“Adetshina could not have participated in the alleged unlawful actions of her mother, as she was an infant at the time when the activities took place in 2001,” the Minister added.

Don’t miss out on the latest updates. Stay updated with African celebrity news and gossip with The Sisters Show. Get all the details and never miss a beat!

Read More:-  Miss SA Contestant Withdraws Amid Nationality Dispute