Chairperson of the Gauteng Portfolio Committee on Education Tshilidzi Munyai had his hands full calming down people who were angry about some of the more controversial clauses in the Bela Bill.

Emotions ran high when community members submitted their views on the Basic Education Laws Amendment (Bela) Bill during a public hearing in Randfontein on Monday.

A member of the EFF told those gathered at the Randfontein Local Municipality Hall that black people who do not support Bela are "sell-outs", while a pastor remarked that it was "nonsensical" to expect poor communities to register their children for Grade R classes online.

EFF and ANC members were in support of the Bill at the event, the second leg of public hearings on the Bill in Gauteng. The first leg was held at Uncle Tom's Community Centre in Orlando on Friday.

Gauteng MPL Tshilidzi Munyai, who chairs the provincial portfolio committee on education, is expected to hold a third session at Sam Hlalele Community Centre Main Hall in Tembisa on Wednesday, 28 February.

This will be followed by another session at the Falala Community Hall in Soshanguve on Friday, 1 March.

Bela Bill hearings are scheduled to be finalised at the end of March, with the National Council of Province's Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture adopting the report.

This comes after a similar process was conducted by the...