Lekota’s son appointed estate curator as medical reports question his capacity

The Gauteng Division of the High Court has ruled that veteran South African politicianMosiuoa ‘Terror’ Lekota,who died at the age of 77,was mentally incapacitated and unable to manage his affairs for nearly a year before his death, in a judgment that placed his son as interim curator of his estate. In an order issued on 6 March 2026, Judge Millar declared that Lekota was “of unsound mind and incapable of managing his own affairs from 25 May 2025 to the date of his death on 4 March 2026.” The ruling followed an urgent curatorship application brought by Lekota’s wife, Cynthia Lekota, who approached the court seeking protective oversight of his affairs afterCongress of the Peopleparty member Lizelle Adams laid claim to the estate. Adams argued that she had a direct interest in the matter, shared a property with Lekota and should have been included earlier in the curatorship proceedings.

During the proceedings, the court approved the appointment of Kotane Lekota, the politician’s son, as interim curator responsible for managing the estate and financial affairs. Kotane Lekota was authorised to take control of Lekota’s property and bank accounts, manage investments and financial obligations, and oversee the financial needs of the family, including the maintenance of the extended family. The curatorship application was supported by medical reports from neurologists who concluded that Lekota suffered from severe cerebrovascular disease and cognitive impairment.

Experts said his neurological condition had deteriorated significantly following hospitalisation in May 2025, leaving him unable to make complex financial or legal decisions. They concluded that he had likely been unable to manage his financial and legal affairs for about a year. Investigators also reported that Lekota’s safe was found open and empty, vehicles and animals were left unattended at the property, and financial records revealed that R400 000 had been withdrawn from his bank account on 12 February 2026, the day the interim appointment was made.

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Correspondence filed in court shows that Adams declined to attend meetings and directed questions through attorneys, limiting investigators’ ability to gather direct information about her involvement in Lekota’s affairs. The court will ultimately decide whether Adams should continue to have any role in Lekota’s personal or financial estate.

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