Following the recent horrid social media attacks that Miss SA finalist, Chidimma Adetshina has been facing, many organisations, celebrities and some members of parliament have come to her defence.
Sonke Gender Justice has released a statement defending the 23-year-old Soweto-born beauty.
The organisation says women and men, girls and boys can work together to resist patriarchy, advocate for gender justice, and achieve gender transformation.
The Miss SA finalist, Adetshina, has been subjected to xenophobic and afrophobic attacks because people on social media have been questioning her citizenship status and they want her removed from participating in the Miss SA pageant.
The attacks intensified on social media after what seemed like a video of her celebrating with her Nigerian family.
Sonke Gender Justice has also addressed the comments made by Sports, Art and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.
“Sonke also condemns utterance made by the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton Mckenzie in relation to Adetshina’s participation in the pageant which seeks to disregard her nationality as a South African,” Sonke said.
Sonke added that McKenzie should have exercised his power responsibly, in a manner that upholds the laws of this country.
“Therefore, the comments by Minister Mckenzie regarding Adetshina’s eligibility to participate in the contest have not only subjected her to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) but also pose a significant threat to digital democracy and the participation of women in public life,” Sonke said.
Sonke also said McKenzie’s comment fits harmful TFGBV elements such as reinforcement of harmful norms, isolation of victims, amplification of abuse, polarisation, reinforcement of patriarchal norms, undermining South Africa’s efforts towards gender equality and eroding trust in democratic processes.
Sonke therefore called on McKenzie to withdraw the comments he made on his X account that undermine Adetshina’s citizenship rights and call out those promoting the online abuse and violation of Adetshina’s rights.
Sonke Gender Justice further calls on members of the public to desist from undermining Adetshina’s rights as a South African citizen and subjecting her to further TFGBV, abuse, and harassment, which is harmful to her and undermines the spirit of the constitution.
IOL