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The South African government says it will respect the wishes of late President Edgar Lungu’s family to have his body buried in that country following his death on June 5.
Plans to repatriate the former president’s body to Zambia failed last week after his family and the government failed to come to an agreement.
South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Department Spokesperson Chrispin Phiri told NEWZROOM AFRIKA in an interview that the government had no choice but to respect the family of the late Zambian president.
Phiri said the government’s position on the burial of former Zambian President was guided by legal obligations to honor the family’s wishes, as they were residents of South Africa.
While assuring that Zambia remains South Africa’s ally, Phiri stated that South African laws prioritize the family’s rights and wishes regarding the burial.
“The government is bound to follow the family’s requirements, which may differ from the Zambian government’s wishes,” he said.
Phiri stated that South Africa wants to assure that their actions were not seen as disrespectful to Zambia or its government, but rather a matter of adhering to legal obligations.
He said the current situation highlights the complexities of international cooperation and the importance of respecting both national and familial interests.
After the family of late former President announced that his funeral and burial will take place in South Africa, where he passed away on June 5, 2025, efforts to resolve the diplomatic and logistical deadlock surrounding his final resting place had intensified.
President Hakainde Hichilema on Sunday hosted South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Ozzy Lamola, at State House in Lusaka, in a bid to break the impasse that had left the nation in uncertainty over the burial of its sixth Republican President.
He revealed in a Facebook posting on Sunday on June 22, 2025 that: “We were honoured to receive a courtesy call from Ronald Ozzy Lamola, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa who on behalf of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa who conveyed his condolences on the passing of sixth President Edgar Lungu.”
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