The search for the three-year-old boy that was allegedly pushed into a sewer manhole by another child has been called off in Ramaphosa, Boksburg police said.

Police Captain Owen Malumbi said the sewage water in the manhole was still flowing to fast and divers could not search since daylight was fading.

"We will resume the search again after eight hours. We will start early on Monday morning."

"We have to wait for eight hours because that is the amount of time it will take for the child's body to reach the end of the sewer which is in Klipriver," he said.

Malumbi said they have no other choice but to believe that the child is dead.

According to police, at about 12pm the three-year-old boy was allegedly pushed by another child into a sewage-filled manhole.

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

"There was a large manhole that was not covered. "

"The sewage water in the manhole was 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."

Sapa