A three-year-old boy is feared dead after he was apparently pushed by another child into a sewage-filled manhole in Boksburg on Sunday, Johannesburg police said.

Captain Owen Malumbi said the child and three other friends from Ramaphosa were playing in an open area when the incident occurred at 12pm.

"There was a large manhole that was not covered. One of the other children allegedly pushed the child into the manhole.

"The sewage water in the manhole is flowing violently high. Emergency divers have not been able to go into the manhole to retrieve the child," he said.

The manhole was big enough for an adult to fall into. According to Malumbi, there was not much hope that the child would be found alive.

Emergency personnel, SAPS divers and Ekurhuleni police were on the scene on Sunday afternoon, attempting to rescue the child or retrieve his body.

Sapa