Lobamba – Debate on the report on the Immigration Bill of 2025 suffered a second disruption in the House of Assembly after the report was withdrawn for corrections, following a previous debate that was interrupted by a power outage.
On September 9, 2026, Lomahasha Member of Parliament (MP) and committee Chairperson Hon. Zanele Mashaba asked the House to allow the withdrawal of the report, saying important issues had emerged which required correction.
Mashaba pleaded with Members of Parliament to give the committee an opportunity to address the issues before bringing the report back to the House.
“Siyacela malunga nisibambise size siyilungise layidzinga kulungiswa khona,” she pleaded.
However, Lobamba Lomdzala Member of Parliament Hon. Marwick Khumalo sought clarity on whether Mashaba was formally seeking the House’s approval to withdraw the report and later table it again after making the necessary corrections.
He also wanted confirmation on whether debate would start afresh when the report returned to the House.
“Just clarification, are they seeking the approval of the House to withdraw it and then come back and table it again, where debate will start afresh?” Khumalo asked.
Mashaba confirmed that this was the committee’s intention.
The House subsequently agreed to the request, allowing the report to be withdrawn for corrections.
The development means debate on the report will have to start afresh when it is brought back before the House.
The report concerns the Immigration Bill of 2025, Bill No. 23 of 2025, which was introduced by the Minister of Home Affairs.
It had been moved for adoption by Mashaba and seconded by Hon. Sifiso P. Magagula.
Before the request for the withdrawal, House of Assembly Speaker Jabulani Mabuza reminded MPs that debate on the report had already started during a previous sitting.
However, proceedings were disrupted by a power outage while MPs were debating, preventing some Members from contributing.
Mabuza said those who did not get an opportunity to debate during the previous sitting would have been allowed to continue.
However, before the debate could resume, Mashaba requested the withdrawal of the report after important issues emerged.
The report will now be corrected before being tabled again, with all Members expected to begin the debate afresh.
Speaker Mabuza reminded Mashaba that the House was granting the committee an opportunity to correct the issues in line with the law before returning with the report for consideration.
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