The Pretoria High Court in South Africa has set aside its 22 April ruling on an urgent matter in which the Lungu family was granted custody of the body of the late former Zambian President Edgar Lungu.

Instead, the court has ruled, by agreement with the Zambian government and the Lungu family, that the body shall forthwith be placed in the care of AVBOB Mortuary in Pretoria East, at the cost of the Zambian government.

The body will remain there until the Supreme Court of Appeal hears the grounds that will be filed by the Lungu family against the August 2025 ruling that granted funeral rights to the Zambian government.

In the event that the mortuary declines to keep the body as agreed by both parties, the Pretoria High Court will appoint its own handlers.

Until the Supreme Court of Appeal makes its ruling on the grounds that the Lungu family will raise, the remains will remain in the custody of the Zambian government, as per the August 2025 judgement.

However, this ruling does not prevent the immediate family from accessing the body.

Any other person wishing to access the body for any purpose must first obtain a court order from the Pretoria High Court on notice to the applicants.

This means the government of Zambia may not proceed with the funeral rites for its sixth president until the family's appeal is heard.