Drama unfolded at a Joburg hospital where former Cope president Mosioua Lekota was lying dead when his wife Cynthia Lekota vitriolically attacked his live-in lover Luzelle Adams, accusing her of stealing his money.
The cat fight allegedly happened in full view of hospital doctors and nurses just moments after the politician took his last breath.
These riveting details are revealed by Luzelle in court papers she filed in Pretoria High Court, where she is appealing the court order which declared that she emptied Lekota’s account when he was incapable of conducting his own affairs.
The court also raised serious concerns about advocate Luzelle’s conduct, ordering that the judgment be referred to the Legal Practice Council Gauteng and to the Johannesburg Society of Advocates for investigation.
The finding follows an application by his wife, Cynthia Lekota, who sought court intervention over his mental capacity and control of their joint financial affairs in the months before his death.
In the papers, which we have seen, Luzelle said the screaming match happened after Lekota passed away on 4 March 2026.
She said the politician’s death was life-altering and a very traumatic experience for her and she did not take it lightly.
“As his preferred next-of-kin I was there when he passed on. Literally within minutes after his death, and upon the applicant’s arrival at the hospital, I was accused by her, in the presence of the hospital’s staff, that I had manipulated the patient and stole his money.
I did not know what the applicant was referring to. This accusation, whilst the patient was laying there, saddened me,” she said.
Luzelle further said she knew that she didn’t steal anybody’s money and had no idea what Cynthia was talking about.
She further said these accusations plunged her into a deep depression.
“A few hours after the patient’s death, I also had to inform our minor son of his father’s passing. He was in the United Kingdom and extremely unconsolable.
The patient’s death, the accusation at the hospital and our son’s reaction really affected me negatively and I then self-medicated on Schedule 5 anti-depressant pills, just to escape reality,” she said.
Luzelle said what left her dumbfounded was that Lekota’s son Kotane, who was appointed an interim estate curator by the court, thanked her for taking care of the former Free State premier when he was ill.
“The WhatsApp message from the curator bonis in which he had thanked me for taking care of his father also made me believe that he was genuine and despite the applicant’s confrontation with me at the hospital, I just assumed that we will all focus on giving the patient a dignified funeral instead of pursuing any further disputes in a public court,” she said.
Luzelle refuted Kotane’s allegations that she emptied the politician’s accounts when he was incapacitated.
Kotane alleged that more than R1 million was paid from Lekota’s bank account to Adams between 2 April 2024 and 12 February 2026. An additional R400 000 was transferred, allegedly at her instance. On 12 February 2026, R250 000 was transferred to her attorneys of record. Minutes later, R150 000 was transferred to Adams’ property company.
Luzelle said the argument that she transferred money from April 2, 2024 was irrelevant.
“According to the applicant, her curators and experts, the patient was of unsound mind since 25 May 2025. He was thus of sound mind prior to that date. The reference to any transactions from 2 April 2024 to 25 May 2025 was thus irrelevant to this extremely urgent application,” she said.
About the money transferred to Adams Estate, Luzelle said she loaned Lekota R80 000 and later he asked her to register a business investment for the sole benefit of their son.
She said he agreed to repay it in April 2024 and she would use that money as her own contribution to this soon-to-be established company. Lekota, she said, committed to make an annual payment of R500 000 to commence in May 2024.
Luzelle also said Lekota borrowed another R25 000 from her in April and May 2024. She said in November and December 2024 Lekota borrowed another R140 000 from her. She said again in April 2025 he borrowed another R36 000 from her.
As at 11 April 2025, she said, Lekota owed her a total of R281 000.
Luzelle said on 15 July 2025 she transferred R640 000 from Lekota’s account for the sole benefit of their child.
She said the R624 000 that was paid into Lekota’s account was the proceeds of the sale of the farm he owned. She said with his permission she transferred R200 000 from his account to pay the school fees of their son.
Luzelle said the R600 000 transferred from Lekota to their joint account was used to pay the expenses of their household in Midrand.
She said the bank card of their joint account was used by their assistant Ayanda Zulu, who became responsible for the smooth running of the household and the daily activities of the patient.
“Neither the patient nor I wanted any personal assistant to have access to our main bank accounts, hence the use of the joint account. We started to use this bank account from the middle of 2024,” she said.
Luzelle further explained that she used the R250 000 to pay legal fees on behalf of her son after being advised to do so by her lawyers.
“My legal representatives advised me that the intervention application, on behalf of the minor son, formed part of the costs incurred for that application as referred to in paragraph 10 of the court order dated 12 February 2026. I accepted this advice,” she said.
Attempts to solicit comments from Cynthia drew a blank as she dropped our phone calls and ignored our text messages sent to her.
Luzelle’s lawyer Lutendo Siphuma of SL Attorneys confirmed that they have filed an application to appeal the judgment and the matter will be heard on May 8.
