PRETORIA (Reuters) -A South African court on Friday ordered the repatriation of former Zambian president Edgar Lungu’s body for a state funeral, siding with Zambia’s government over his family who wanted him buried in South Africa, not in the presence of his successor.
Lungu, Zambia’s head of state from 2015 to 2021, died in South Africa on June 5 while receiving medical treatment.
South Africa’s high court halted plans for Lungu to be buried in Johannesburg on June 25, hours before a private ceremony was due to start.
Zambia’s government had approached the court arguing that Lungu should be given a state funeral and buried at a designated site in the Zambian capital Lusaka, like all other presidents since independence from Britain in 1964.
Lungu’s family said he did not want current President Hakainde Hichilema, a longstanding political rival and his successor, at his funeral.
On Friday, a high court judge in Pretoria said Lungu’s body should be handed over to a representative of Zambia’s court system for repatriation.
Lungu’s sister Bertha Lungu was in tears after the judgment was read out.
Zambia’s Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha, also at the court, said the government appreciated the judge’s ruling.
Analysts say Lungu’s legacy as president was chequered. He was praised for a massive road-building programme but racked up a huge debt pile, which the Southern African country has been battling to restructure.
(Reporting by Thando Hlophe;Writing by Sfundo Parakozov;Editing by Alexander Winning and Alison Williams)
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