Lamola Urges Zambian Government and Lungu Family to Resolve Burial Dispute Amicably
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has called on the Zambian government and the family of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu to set aside their bitter legal battle and reach a private agreement so that the late leader can finally be laid to rest.
The appeal comes nearly 10 months after Lungu’s death on 5 June 2025 in a Pretoria hospital, where he was receiving treatment. His remains have since become the centre of a highly public and politically charged dispute.
Lungu’s family had hoped to bury him privately in South Africa, citing his fraught political relationship with Zambia’s current president, Hakainde Hichilema. The Zambian government, however, insists on repatriating the body for a full state funeral in Lusaka.
In recent days, Zambian authorities took possession of the body from a Pretoria funeral home, prompting an urgent court application from the family. A South African court subsequently ordered the remains returned pending further hearings, with one scheduled for 21 May.
Speaking on the matter, Minister Lamola stressed that South Africa respects the rule of law but urged both parties to find common ground outside the courtroom. He warned that prolonged litigation could drag on for years, delaying a dignified burial for the former head of state.
The impasse has drawn widespread attention across southern Africa, with many observers describing the situation as an unfortunate spectacle that has overshadowed Lungu’s legacy and strained relations between the two neighbouring countries.
As the stalemate continues, Minister Lamola’s intervention highlights growing diplomatic concern that the former president’s body remains unburied almost a year after his passing.