Pretoria – The Gauteng High Court has dismissed an appeal by late former Zambian president, Edgar Lungu’s family to stop repatriation of the body of the former leader to Zambia for burial.
The High Court dismissed the appeal with costs.
Lungu died June 5 this year aged 68 in South Africa.
His family does not want current Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema to preside over Lungu’s burial.
Hichilema, a political rival of Lungu has maintained that Lungu must be buried according to the honours that are befitting for a former head of state.
However, the Lungu family said Edgar Lungu before he died said Hichilema should not be seen near his body or preside over his burial.
Earlier media reports had said Lungu travelled to South Africa seeking medical care on a Zimbabwean passport but Harare denied the reports.
The Lungu story echo Robert Mugabe’s death after the former leader’s family refused to have him buried at the national heroes acre.
Mugabe reportedly told his family before his death that his rivals might perform rituals if his body buried at the national heroes acre.
The late president was buried at his rural home in Zvimba but the government of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been trying to rebury Mugabe at the heroes acre.
SA court dismisses Edgar Lungu’s family appeal to stop body repatriation to Zambia
