South Africa Granted the Family Permission to Bury the remains of President Edgar Lungu in the Country
South Africa Granted the Family Permission to Bury the remains of President Edgar Lungu in the Country
…South Africa will respect the wishes of the family….
Dear Mrs EN Lungu,
Thank you for the letter dated 18 June 2025, addressed to Deputy Minister Moraka, informing us of the family’s decision to bury the mortal remains of the Sixth President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Dr Edgar Chagwa Lungu, in South Africa.
Once again, on my own behalf and on behalf of the government and the people of the Republic of South Africa, I extend our deepest condolences to the Lungu Family, as well as to the government and people of the Republic of Zambia, on the passing of the former President.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Zambia during this challenging time.
The South Afican Government has noted the decision of the Lungu Family to bury Dr Edgar Lungu in South Africa.
As you may be aware, since the untimely death of former President Lungu, the South African Government has been engaging both the family of he former President and the Zambian Government to facilitate the return of his mortal remains to Zambia.
This effort stems from the conviction that the former President deserves a farewell worthy of his stature.
In this regard, His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa received, on 13 June 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of the Republic of Zambia, Mr Mulambo Haimbe, in his capacity as Special Envoy of His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema.
On Friday, 20 June 2025, the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Ronald Lamola, met with the Lungu Family
and subsequently travelled to Zambia on Saturday, 21 June 2025, at the behest of President Cyril Ramaphosa, where he met with President Hakainde Hichilema.
Accordingly, Minister Lamola conveyed the views of the South African Government on this matter.
South Africa regrets that all these efforts to facilitate the return of the mortal remains to Zambia have not achieved the desired outcome.
However, South Africa respects the family’s decision regarding the burial site of the former President.
South Africa remains ready to assist in any way possible should an amicable solution be reached, even at this late stage.
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