SA Supreme Court Victory Ends Year-Long Standoff: Lungu Family Wins Right to Bury Former Zambian President

By Desire Tshuma

JOHANNESBURG – The family of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu has won its case in South Africa’s Supreme Court, clearing the way for his burial according to the family’s wishes and ending a year-long standoff with the Zambian government.

Lungu’s body has been held in a South African mortuary since he died on 5 June 2025. President Hakainde Hichilema’s administration had insisted Lungu be buried at Zambia’s presidential burial site, while the family argued for control over the funeral proceedings.

The court ruling affirms the family’s right to determine Lungu’s final resting place. The dispute drew regional attention after the family said it had agreed to a burial in Zambia only if Hichilema did not take a central role in the funeral – a condition the government rejected. The family then opted to keep Lungu in South Africa, citing his clear instructions that he did not want Hichilema to preside over or be associated with his funeral.

The case echoes Zimbabwe’s handling of former President Robert Mugabe’s burial. Despite government plans for interment at the National Heroes Acre, Mugabe’s family insisted he had opposed burial there. After a prolonged dispute, the government relented, and Mugabe was laid to rest at his rural home in Kutama.