South Africa's Supreme Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Edgar Lungu's family regarding the burial of his remains, rejecting the Zambian government's claim of custody. The ruling overturned a previous South African court decision that ordered the family to hand over Lungu's remains to the Zambian government for repatriation.

Edgar Lungu died in South Africa on June 5, 2025, at age 68, from an undisclosed illness at a clinic in Pretoria. The Zambian government wanted Lungu's body to be buried at a cemetery set aside for Zambia's leaders, but his family decided to bury him in South Africa. The family stated its decision honored Lungu's last wishes that Hakainde Hichilema not come near his body or preside over a state funeral in Zambia.

The Supreme Court of Appeal, which is South Africa's second-highest court, stated in a majority ruling that "the common law and constitutional rights of family prevail" over the Zambian government's claim. Justice Raylene May Keightley added, "The very ritual intended to bring closure has, instead, pitted family against the state in a hard-fought legal dispute far from the protagonists' home."

The judges further stated in the ruling that it was clear Lungu "viewed himself to be persona non grata in his own country" of Zambia. They added that Lungu "felt that he would not be afforded a dignified send-off" if his successor was present. The Zambian government could appeal this decision to the Constitutional Court.

Lungu served as president of Zambia from 2015 to 2021. During his presidency, he defeated Hakainde Hichilema in two elections. Hichilema was imprisoned for four months on treason charges during Lungu's presidency, which were ultimately dropped. Lungu lost the 2021 election to Hichilema, who is the current President of Zambia.

After the 2021 election, Lungu claimed he had been put under house arrest by authorities acting on Hichilema's instructions. A South African high court in Pretoria had previously ruled in August that the Zambian government could repatriate Lungu's body and give him a state funeral. In April, the Zambian government announced that Lungu's remains had been "formally transferred" to the state by the South African court, but hours later, a South African court ordered the Zambian government to return the body. Following Lungu's death, two separate mourning periods were announced and competing condolence books were established.