Pretoria Court Reserves Judgment in Edgar Lungu Repatriation Case
Published on September 8, 2025 at 2:00 PM by Edgar Naitha
The Pretoria High Court has reserved judgment in a case involving the family of late former Zambian President Edgar Lungu.
Lungu passed away in South Africa on June 5, 2025, but he has not yet been buried, over three months later.
The delay stems from a legal dispute between his family and the Zambian government over his burial arrangements.
Authorities in Zambia insist on repatriating his body for a state funeral, while the family is fighting for the right to choose his final resting place.
In court, the family’s lawyer, Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, argued that Lungu cannot be granted the same privileges as Zambia’s founding president, Kenneth Kaunda.
Ngcukaitobi told the bench that Lungu had lost his presidential benefits before his death, and the law does not allow posthumous reinstatement.
“There are no benefits payable to the dead,” he emphasized.
The appeal seeks to overturn an earlier ruling that ordered Lungu’s repatriation to Zambia for a state-led burial.
With the judgment reserved, the uncertainty surrounding Lungu’s funeral continues.
