SA SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS HIGH COURT RULING IN ECL LEGAL DISPUTE
By: Thomas Mwale
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) of South Africa has set aside a Gauteng High Court ruling that had granted the government the right to repatriate the remains of former President Edgar Chagwa Lungu for a state funeral and burial in Zambia.
In its judgment, the SCA upheld an appeal against the August 2025 decision of the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, effectively overturning the earlier ruling that had favoured the Zambian Government’s bid to return Mr. Lungu’s remains to Zambia.
The ruling means that the Lungu family’s wish to bury the country’s sixth Republican President will now prevail, in line with their stated wishes regarding his final resting place.
During the proceedings, the family lawyer, Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, informed the Supreme Court during oral submissions that the Lungu family wanted a private burial in South Africa.
The family had opposed efforts by the Government to repatriate the former president’s remains for a state funeral and burial in his homeland.
Lawyers representing the Government had argued in favour of according him full state funeral honours in Zambia.
Mr. Lungu died in South Africa on June 5, 2025, while receiving medical treatment.
His burial has remained unresolved for 1 year and 18 days amid ongoing legal proceedings over where he should be laid to rest.
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Let it be! But time will tell in the long run and indeed in history who was wrong and right.It shall stand a debate for long even after we are long gone.It shall be like feelings for a song to different individual’ taste.It is either one is happy or not with the outcome.
There’s no need for that. It’s case closed for good.
Let them bury him.
Let him rest in peace.
We moved on a long tome ago.
Govt shouldn’t contest this ruling. Let them bury him there & see if it will give them any relief. Zambians have moved on.
There’s nowhere else to appeal to. The Supreme Court of South Africa has the last word. This has brought about closure to all arguments and disagreements. Let Edgar Lungu rest in peace now.
Bury it there, it’s OKAY, for as long as it’s NOT coming to Zambia, we are fine.
The idea that there is a State Funeral, without Commander-in-Chief, was mindblowing, But if you bury in SA, it’s okay.
Hope the anti-immigrant wave doesn’t catch up with you. The decent burial place will be waiting for him here in Zambia.
PLEASE DON’T INVITE US, NOT INTERESTED.
The family will regret not to have him burried in
Zambia.