The Pretoria High Court has indefinitely postponed the application for leave to appeal in the contentious repatriation case involving the remains of former Zambian President Edgar Lungu, effectively clearing the way for his family to approach the Constitutional Court directly.
At the heart of the legal dispute is the Lungu family’s opposition to a High Court ruling that ordered the late president’s remains be repatriated to Zambia for a state funeral. The family argues that political tensions with Zambia’s current administration make it unsafe and inappropriate for Lungu to be buried there, insisting instead that he be laid to rest in South Africa, where he passed away.
With the High Court proceedings paused, the case now hinges on whether the Constitutional Court will grant direct access—a decision that could shape cross-border legal precedent regarding the dignity and autonomy of families in burial decisions, especially when tied to political conflict.
For now, there is no clear timeline on when the Constitutional Court will hear the matter, leaving Lungu’s final resting place in legal limbo.
