Edgar Lungu's family back in court in for application for leave to appeal ruling on his burial
Last week, the court ruled in the government’s favour that the former president’s remains should be repatriated for burial in Zambia.
Edgar Lungu’s family in the Pretoria High Court where judgement that Edgar’s remains be repatriated to Lusaka for burial was handed down on 8 August 2025. Picture: Sphamandla Dlamini/EWN
JOHANNESBURG - The Pretoria High Court is set to hear an application for leave to appeal in the debacle involving the family of Zambia’s former President Edgar Lungu and the country’s government.
Last week, the court ruled in the government’s favour that the former president’s remains should be repatriated for burial in Zambia.
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Lungu died in South Africa in June while he was receiving medical attention.
Last week, Gauteng Acting Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba ruled that there was a valid agreement between the Zambian state and Lungu’s family, which stipulated that the former president’s remains would be repatriated to Lusaka for burial and President Hakainde Hichilema would be involved in proceedings.
But the family disputes this, saying the court erred in making this finding.
It said there is no evidence of such an agreement, and according to them, the meeting ended before consensus was reached.
The family wants Ledwaba to grant it leave to appeal the judgment so that their matter can be heard in the supreme court.
Ultimately, the former Zambian president’s family wants his remains buried in South Africa and for Hichilema, who was his political rival, not to be involved.