South Africa’s Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal in the ongoing dispute over the burial arrangements of Zambia’s sixth Republican President, Edgar Lungu.
The development follows a successful application by the Lungu family to challenge a ruling by the Pretoria High Court in Gauteng, which had ordered that the former president’s body be repatriated to Zambia for burial.
In their appeal, the family argues that the lower court’s decision failed to adequately consider their rights and position regarding funeral arrangements. They are seeking to have the Supreme Court overturn the earlier ruling that permitted the Zambian Government to take custody of Mr Lungu’s remains in preparation for burial.
Mr Lungu, aged 68, died on June 5, 2025, in South Africa, where he had been receiving treatment for throat cancer. Following his death, disagreements emerged between the family and the Government over how his funeral should be conducted.
According to court documents filed by the family, the late former president had expressed a wish that his successor, President Hakainde Hichilema, should not attend his burial. However, Government has indicated plans to hold a state funeral, and under established protocol and precedent, the sitting president is expected to be present.
