South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal ruled Tuesday that the remains of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu will be buried in South Africa, siding with his family in a legal dispute with the Zambian government. The ruling overturns a lower court decision that had ordered the family to hand over Lungu's body to the government for repatriation.
Lungu died in South Africa on June 5, 2025, at the age of 68. His family stated that his last wishes were for the current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema to have no involvement with his funeral. The Zambian government, however, asserted that national customs and protocols required Lungu to be buried at the national cemetery in Zambia.
The dispute arose during the family's funeral service for Lungu in South Africa last June, when the Zambian government initiated an urgent court case. The legal battle has kept Lungu's body at a mortuary for over a year.
In a majority decision, the Supreme Court of Appeal stated that the "common law and constitutional rights of family prevail" over the government's claim. This court is the second-highest in South Africa, and the Zambian government retains the option to appeal to the Constitutional Court.
Lungu served as president of Zambia from 2015 to 2021, defeating Hichilema in two elections. Hichilema, then an opposition leader, was imprisoned for four months on treason charges during Lungu's presidency, charges that were later dropped. Lungu lost the 2021 election to Hichilema and later claimed to have been subjected to house arrest under Hichilema's administration.