A South African court intervened just before the scheduled ceremony on Wednesday, preventing the burial of Zambia’s former president Edgar Lungu in Johannesburg. This follows weeks of conflict between Lungu’s family and the Zambian government regarding his final resting place.
Lungu, who served as Zambia’s head of state from 2015 to 2021, passed away in South Africa on June 5 while undergoing medical treatment.
Given their longstanding political rivalry, Lungu’s family stated that he did not want his successor, current President Hakainde Hichilema, to attend his funeral.
Conversely, Hichilema’s government seeks to repatriate Lungu’s body to Zambia for a State funeral and approached the Pretoria High Court to block the burial in South Africa.
Deputy Judge President Aubrey Phago Ledwaba informed the court that lawyers for Lungu’s family and the Zambian government had agreed to postpone the burial. The Zambian government has until July 4 to present its reasons for seeking the repatriation of Lungu’s body.
Zambian Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha stated that negotiations with Lungu’s family would continue prior to the next court hearing.
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Makebi Zulu, a spokesman for the Lungu family, expressed their belief that Hichilema would not provide Lungu with a dignified send-off.
Lungu had aspirations to run for president in next year’s election, but Zambia’s Constitutional Court ruled him ineligible due to having already served two terms.
The South African government has indicated its obligation to respect the wishes of Lungu’s family, but believes a State burial in Zambia would be the most appropriate resolution.
All Zambian presidents since the country’s independence from Britain in 1964 have been buried at a designated site in Lusaka.
Analysts describe Lungu’s legacy as Zambian president as mixed. While praised for a significant road-building program, he is also criticized for running the country’s public finances into substantial debt.
Instead of the planned Johannesburg burial, a prayer service was held at a Catholic cathedral on Wednesday.
