Pretoria, South Africa — June 25, 2025 — In a dramatic turn of events, a South African court on Wednesday halted the burial of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu just as his funeral service was underway, intensifying a bitter dispute between Lungu’s family and the Zambian government.

Lungu, 68, died on June 5 while undergoing medical treatment at a private clinic in Pretoria, South Africa. The former president, who governed Zambia from 2015 to 2021, had remained a divisive figure in Zambian politics and a staunch rival of current President Hakainde Hichilema.

Tensions erupted after the Zambian government insisted on repatriating Lungu’s body for a state funeral, while his family resisted, accusing Hichilema of attempting to politicize the funeral of a man he opposed in life. Lungu’s relatives insisted he did not wish for the current Zambian leader to be present at his burial.

Court Blocks Burial Amid Mourning

While mourners, including Lungu’s widow and political allies, gathered at a church in Pretoria for the funeral service, a judge from the Gauteng High Court delivered a surprise ruling—ordering the funeral and burial be suspended.

The judge said the decision followed an agreement between both parties, stating that the respondents had undertaken “not to proceed with the funeral or burial of the late president.” The full case has now been scheduled for hearing on August 4, effectively placing the former president’s final rites on indefinite hold.

The ruling was broadcast live by South Africa’s SABC, which also aired images of mourners visibly stunned by the legal intervention.

“This adjournment is extending the pain, the grief, that the family and the people are going through,” said Zambian MP Chanda Katotobwe, speaking to SABC News from the memorial service.

Diplomatic Tensions and Political Overtones

Lungu’s death has exposed sharp political rifts in Zambia, particularly between supporters of his Patriotic Front (PF) and the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) led by Hichilema.

The Zambian government filed a legal challenge in South Africa after the family blocked the repatriation of the body, insisting Lungu should be laid to rest at home with full state honors. The family countered that Lungu’s legacy was being manipulated for political gain.

The former president had left Zambia for medical care citing political persecution and a lack of trust in the current administration. His cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, though party sources confirmed he had been receiving specialised treatment in Pretoria.

Unresolved Legacy

Lungu governed Zambia during a period of growing authoritarianism, increasing debt, and deteriorating media freedom—accusations that dogged his presidency and contributed to his defeat by Hichilema in 2021. However, he remains popular in parts of the country, particularly among PF loyalists who regard him as a champion of “Zambian sovereignty.”

For now, Lungu’s body remains in South Africa under judicial protection, with his burial suspended until the court can adjudicate on the matter in August — prolonging a saga that has turned a personal tragedy into a regional diplomatic standoff.