Gauteng Court Halts Burial of Former Zambian President in South Africa, Mzansi Weighs In on Ruling

• The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has halted the burial of Zambia’s former president, Edgar Lungu
• The Pretoria court ruled that the funeral service should not go ahead, pending the urgent court application
• South Africans were split by the court's decision, with some saying his body should be repatriated

Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.

GAUTENG – The body of Zambia’s former president, Edgar Lungu, will not be laid to rest just yet.

Lungu, who served as president of the southern African country between 2015 and 2021, passed away in Pretoria on 5 June 2025.

His family wanted to bury the former Zambian statesman in South Africa, but a lawsuit was filed to prevent this from happening. The decision to bury him in another country was made after Lungu left behind instructions that Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema "should not be anywhere near" his body.

Hichilema’s United Party for National Development won the 2021 elections, in his sixth time of trying. Lungu earned praise from Zambians for promising to hand over power peacefully to Hichilema, after he initially objected to the result.

Parties agree to halt burial

The court challenge to prevent the burial taking place on Wednesday, 25 June 2025, was heard on the same day at the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

The court ruled that the funeral service should not go ahead, pending the urgent court application. The decision was made after both parties came to an agreement.

In his judgment, Deputy Judge President, Aubrey Phago Ledwaba, thanked both parties for reaching an agreement on the matter, noting that it must be difficult.

“I just want to put it on record that this court acknowledges the grief and pain of the family and the Zambian nation caused as a result of the interred President Lungu. The deceased, especially in our cultures as Africans, should be laid to rest in a respectable manner.”

As part of the agreement, the family has undertaken not to proceed with the funeral and or burial, pending the finalisation of the application. The parties have until 18 July to file any applications, motions, and answering affidavits.

South Africans weigh in on court’s decision

Social media users shared mixed reactions to the news, with some saying it was a good decision by the courts, while others stated that his body should be repatriated.

Carl Willemse said:

“This is so disrespectful. Where I am from, you bury a person in their birthplace/birthland. Not in some foreign land. Otherwise, the person won't rest. May his family never rest. May he always haunt them. Lay Edgar Lungu in his ancestral land. Not South Africa, please.”

Hezekiel Mhlongo added:

“He’s a former head of state, so burying him in South Africa will never make sense.”

Olivia Tanyanyiwa urged:

“Please repatriate him back to Zambia, for the sake of diplomatic peace.”

Nguboyenja Zenzo KaMashobane II stated:

“For South Africa to keep their diplomatic relations with Zambia, I believe the court did the right thing.”

Mokoka Makhura said:

“This is a very, very bizarre story.”

Reign Reign exclaimed:

“Go home and sort out your stuff there. Imagine if a South African head of state must be buried in another land.”

Zambian government files lawsuit

Briefly News earlier reported that the Zambian government filed a lawsuit to prevent the former president's body from being buried.

Edgar Lungu left instructions behind that Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema should not be near his body.

His family then wanted to bury him in South Africa, but the Zambian government insisted that he receive a State funeral.

Source: Briefly News