In a dramatic turn of events, a South African court on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, suspended the burial of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, even as mourners gathered for his funeral service in Pretoria. The decision marked a new development in the ongoing conflict between Lungu’s family and the Zambian government regarding the handling of his final rites.
Lungu, who passed away on June 5 while undergoing medical treatment in South Africa, had long been a political rival of current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. The Zambian government had planned a state funeral to be held in Lusaka, but Lungu’s family strongly objected, citing that he would not have wanted Hichilema present at his burial. As a result, they blocked the repatriation of his body from South Africa.
In response, the Zambian government initiated legal proceedings in South Africa to stop the burial from proceeding outside its borders.
During a court session held while Lungu’s widow and other mourners were already in attendance at the funeral venue, a judge from the Gauteng High Court issued a ruling. He stated that, following an agreement reached between both parties, “respondents undertake not to proceed with the funeral or burial of the late president.”
The judge added that the case has been scheduled for a full hearing on August 4, according to South Africa’s national broadcaster SABC, which also aired live footage of the funeral gathering.
Reacting to the ruling, Zambian lawmaker Chanda Katotobwe, who was among those present at the service, told SABC News,
“The adjournment is extending the pain, the grief, that the family and the people are going through.”
The cause of Lungu’s death, at the age of 68, has not been officially disclosed. However, his Patriotic Front party confirmed that he was receiving specialized medical care at a clinic in Pretoria prior to his passing.
