Civil organisations have questioned President Cyril Ramaphosa’s silence regarding the controversy surrounding the burial of late former Zambian President Edgar Lungu.

The organisations under the banner Progressive Forces For South Africa that include, The South African Concerned Citizens Association, March and March and Reakga Community Project among others laid their concerns bare during a press briefing in Midrand on Thursday.

A dispute has erupted between the Zambian government and Lungu’s family over whether he should be buried in South Africa or repatriated to Zambia for a state funeral.

Lungu died last month in South Africa and his remains have become the centre of a dispute.

In the Pretoria High Court, the Zambian government filed an urgent application to prevent Lungu’s burial in South Africa.

They argued that as a former president, Lungu “belongs to the nation of Zambia” and should be interred there. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema underscored this point, drawing a parallel to the precedent of founding President Kenneth Kaunda’s burial in Zambia, which occurred despite his family’s desires.

Lungu’s family, however, had opted for a private ceremony in South Africa. The High Court halted plans for the burial in South Africa just as it was about to start, following an agreement between the parties.

The court has given the Zambian attorney general until a specified date to submit papers in support of Lungu’s repatriation to Zambia, with the matter to be heard on August 4, 2025.

Leader of the organisation, Mthetho Ngcukayithobi is questioning why Ramaphosa has remained silent on the matter saying that South Africa has a diplomatic stance when it comes to former presidents of other states.

Ngcukayithobi also alleged that Lungu was admitted into a Pretoria hospital under a fake name prompting more questions for the South African government.

“The Lungu saga makes us ask critical questions about our own government. Who did the authorities declare dead?…When a former president dies on foreign soil there are diplomatic processes…But in this case it seems none of the steps were followed. Why is our government silent on this?” Ngcukayithobi asked.

“We are saying go and clear your name. We are also saying the former president cannot be buried in a foreign country when he was a president in Zambia. The Zambians deserve to bury their leader,” said Ngcukayithobi. 

The organisation expresses concerns about potential land claims by the Lungu family in South Africa if he is buried there, highlighting the country’s ongoing issues with land claims.

“We, in South Africa, have land issues, with some claims still being processed. We don’t want a situation where Lungu’s descendants come to claim land here because their ancestor is buried here,” Ngcukayithobi said.

Ngcukayithobi also pointed out that members of Lungu’s family are facing serious corruption charges in Zambia, including charges related to proceeds of crime and money laundering against his children.

“The former first family are facing serious corruption charges back home. This is about state capture and asset looting in Zambia. These beneficiaries live in SA comfortably,” said Ngcukayithobi.

The dispute over Lungu’s burial underscores the tense relationship between him and his successor, President Hichilema, which continued even after Lungu’s death.

During Lungu’s presidency, Hichilema was arrested for treason.

Lungu’s family during a press briefing recently asserted that the reason they did not want the former president to be buried in Zambia was because they feared his remains would not be properly buried because of the feud with the current president.

South African presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya had not responded to the allegations at the time of going to print

mashudu.sadike@inl.co.za

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