A South African court has blocked the private burial of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, following an urgent application by the Zambian government. The decision marks the latest development in an ongoing dispute between Lungu’s family and the state over funeral arrangements and the site of his final resting place.
On Wednesday, the Pretoria High Court issued an order that halts the funeral until the matter is resolved. The court has scheduled a full hearing for 4 August.
Lungu’s Death and Family’s Objections
Edgar Lungu, who served as Zambia’s president from 2015 to 2021, died in South Africa on 5 June 2025 at the age of 68. His family had opted for a private burial in South Africa, rejecting the Zambian government’s plans for a state funeral in Lusaka.
Their decision was based on a long-standing political rift between Lungu and current President Hakainde Hichilema. Family spokesperson Makebi Zulu said Lungu had explicitly wished that President Hichilema not attend his funeral.
“This is an opportunity for us to tell a story, a great story of President Edgar Chagwa Lungu, how he lived as a president, served the nation as a president, and thereafter he was a person that was betrayed by the system, cast aside by the system,” said Zulu.
“Now in his death they wish to come back and pretend as though they took care of him, pretend as though they were good to him.”
Government’s Legal Action and Response
The Zambian government, represented by Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha, submitted an urgent application to the court in an attempt to stop the burial. Government sources indicate that officials planned a state funeral, with President Hichilema set to preside.
“President Hakainde Hichilema is incapable of giving President Edgar Chagwa Lungu a dignified send-off. It would be a mockery,” Zulu added.
The Pretoria court ruled that both the family and the government agreed to delay the burial until the legal proceedings conclude.
Next Steps
The disagreement has already led to the cancellation of two previously scheduled state funerals in Zambia. The court’s intervention underscores the sensitive nature of the dispute, which continues to draw public and political attention in both Zambia and South Africa.
The case will return to court on 4 August for further deliberation.
