US EditionHand over the Body for Burial at Home, a South African Court Tells Zambian Ex-President’s Family
ZAMBIA, AUG 7 – Pretoria High Court ruled Zambia can repatriate Edgar Lungu's body despite family opposition to President Hakainde Hichilema attending the funeral, court said personal wishes can't override public interest.
- The Pretoria High Court ruled on August 8, 2025, that the Zambian government can repatriate former President Edgar Lungu’s remains to Zambia for burial.
- The legal conflict emerged because the Lungu family wished for a private burial in South Africa and opposed President Hakainde Hichilema's participation in overseeing the funeral arrangements.
- Judge Aubrey Ledwaba stated that despite personal wishes, public interest allows the state to hold a funeral and ordered the family to surrender the remains immediately.
- Lungu died in June 2025 at age 68 from an undisclosed illness in a South African hospital, and the family claimed it was his final wish that Hichilema not attend the funeral.
- The ruling affirms Zambia’s authority to honor Lungu with a state funeral and suggests the matter could conclude despite the family’s right to appeal.
44 Articles
44 Articles
Los Angeles Times
Independent EspañolA South African court ruled on Friday in favor of the Zambian government and ordered the repatriation of the remains of its former president in order to bury him in his home country, contrary to the wishes of his family.
South Africa: Pretoria High Court Orders Repatriation of Zambia's Ex-President Edgar Lungu's Body
The Pretoria High Court has delivered a historic ruling today, ordering the repatriation of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu's body home for a state funeral, resolving a nearly two-month dispute that captivated the nation and resonated across southern Africa.
High court orders repatriation of ex-Zambian leader Edgar Lungu's body
The Pretoria high court on Friday ordered the repatriation of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu's body for a state funeral, siding with Zambia's government over his family who wanted him buried in South Africa, not in the presence of his successor.
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