Ex-Zambian President Edgar Lungu’s Family Loses Court Battle To Bury Him in South Africa

• The family of the former president of Zambia, Edgar Lungu, has experienced another setback in their battle to bury him in South Africa
• The family appeared before the Pretoria High Court, which dismissed its application to appeal the High Court's ruling in favour of the Zambian government
• The Zambian government is fighting to have Lungu be buried in Zambia, and South Africans shared their views

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

PRETORIA, GAUTENG — The family of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu lost another court battle as it fights to keep the late former statesman's remains in South Africa. The Pretoria High Court dismissed the family's latest application.

According to SABC News, the Lungu family appeared before the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on 16 September 2025 to appeal the High Court's ruling in favour of the Zambian government. The court ruled that the government is entitled to bury Lungu in Zambia. The Ambian government wants to offer Lungu a state funeral.

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The family's legal representatives argued that the court case raised questions of law that the high court ought to resolve. However, the High Court dismissed the case with costs. The Lungu family has the option of filing a petition with the Supreme Court of Appeals and the Constitutional Court if unsuccessful. Lungu died in June 2025 in Pretoria after he suffered heart complications.

Politicians who died

The former Minister of Public Enterprises Pravhin Gordan died on 13 September 2024 after a battle with cancer. The African National Congress stalwart served as a member of cabinet under different portfolios.

The former Deputy President, David Mabuza, died on 3 July 2025 at the age of 64 in a hospital in Sandton, Johannesburg. Masbuza served as an MEC in the Mpumalanga provincial government and was elected as the ANC's deputy president in 2017 until he stepped down in 2022.

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South Africans weigh in

Netizens commenting on X shared their views on the case.

Hastings said:

"One more appeal. The lawyer needs to finish roofing his house."

Tshepiso Tshepi Smith said:

"Sometimes I'm really baffled by how the judiciary works. How is it that the state has authority over the body of the late president instead of his family?"

Sikhona Makhosanzima Gebashe said:

"Good decision by Mzansi courts. We cannot allow our country to be used for foreigninternationall conflicts. Edgar Lungu must be buried in Zambia."

Ninebo Hagenti Wamanganda said:

"More appeals until the lawyers finish building duplexes."

Nicky Chauque said:

"Lungu set the precedent by presiding over former presidents' funeral."

ANC stalwart Yusuf Bhamjee dies

In a rrelated article Briefly News reported that the ANC's former stalwart, Yusuf Bhamjee, passed away on 3 January 2025. Comrades and ANC party members conveyed their condolences.

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Bhamjee served as the mayor of uMgungundlovu from 2008 to 2016. The uMgungundlovu mayor Mzimkulu Thebolla described him as a visionary leader.

Source: Briefly News