Luzelle Henrietta Adams is a South African lawyer and politician who represented the Congress of the People (COPE) in the National Assembly from 2009 until 2014, when she failed to gain re-election. She is an advocate of the High Court and served as COPE's spokesperson on justice and constitutional development.

Luzelle Adams
Member of the National Assembly
In office
6 May 2009 – 6 May 2014
Personal details
CitizenshipSouth Africa
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Alma materUniversity of KwaZulu-Natal
University of Cape Town
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Adams worked for the Institute for Democratic Alternatives in South Africa and the City of Cape Town before completing her LLB at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2007.[1] She was subsequently admitted as an advocate of the High Court and practiced civil litigation.[1] She completed an LLM in shipping law at the University of Cape Town in 2015.[1]

Political career

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Soon after COPE was founded in 2008, Adams joined its legal team.[2] In the general election the next year, she was elected to represent the party in the National Assembly, the lower house of the South African Parliament.[3] She was one of the three youngest MPs.[4] During the legislative term that followed, she sat on the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development[5] and served as COPE's spokesperson in that portfolio.[6] In January 2012, she was additionally appointed as COPE's acting head of international affairs after the incumbent, Lyndall Shope-Mafole, was appointed acting general secretary.[7]

Ahead of the 2014 general election, COPE faced a wave of mass defections but Adams was one of seven COPE MPs who remained on the party list.[8] She was ranked fifth on the national list, but COPE performed poorly in the elections and she did not secure a seat.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Luzelle Adams". The Protea Group. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Shikota Express hits another snag". IOL. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Luzelle Henrietta Adams". People's Assembly. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Leader's got fresh young appeal". News24. 29 October 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  5. ^ October, Alicestine (10 July 2013). "ANC: Mum on new portfolio names". Witness. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  6. ^ "JSC in talks on 'white men can't judge'". News24. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Ndude suspended by COPE". IOL. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Cope fizzles out". News24. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
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