The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has issued an order temporarily halting the burial of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, which was scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 25 June.
The suspension follows an urgent application lodged by the Zambian government, challenging the family’s plans to lay Lungu to rest in South Africa.
According to SABC News, the legal action sought to prevent the interment from proceeding until a resolution is reached regarding his final resting place.
The court has instructed both Lungu’s relatives and Zambian authorities to engage in consultations and find common ground, effectively pausing burial arrangements until further legal clarity is achieved.
Central to the dispute is whether the former head of state should be repatriated for a state funeral in Zambia or be buried in South Africa in accordance with what his family claims were his final wishes.
Zambia’s Attorney General, Mulilo Kabesha, has filed a case on behalf of the state against members of Lungu’s family, including his widow Esther Lungu, several of his children, and the family’s legal representative, Makebi Zulu.
The state argues that the burial should follow national protocols typically observed for former presidents, including repatriation and full military honours.
However, the family has opposed these plans, citing Lungu’s desire to avoid any involvement by President Hakainde Hichilema, his long-standing political adversary.
Gauteng High Court Suspends Edgar Lungu’s Burial in South Africa Amid Ongoing Legal Dispute
According to them, the late president specifically requested not to be laid to rest under the current government’s oversight.
In his legal filing, Kabesha drew parallels with a prior court ruling involving Zambia’s founding leader, Kenneth Kaunda, whose personal burial wishes were ultimately overridden in favour of national considerations.
At present, it remains unclear where Lungu will be interred. The legal impasse highlights a deep rift between the late leader’s family and the state.
The High Court has encouraged both parties to resolve the matter amicably, but no final ruling has been made. Until then, the burial remains on hold.
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