The bodies of four boys were recovered by emergency crews on Monday after they fell into a sinkhole along the N2 highway at the Borcherds Quarry turn-off close to Nyanga.
The children from the nearby informal settlement had been playing when the sand on the side of the bridge suddenly caved in and they fell into the hole at about 3pm.
It took emergency workers over three hours to retrieve the first body and the second was brought out about 30 minutes later.
The bodies of the third and forth boy were recovered at 9pm and 2am, respectively.
Crowds of people, including the kids’ anxious families, gathered at the scene but asked community leader, Pastor Zipho Slara, to speak on their behalf.
Slara explained that the children aged between eight and 13 fell into the hole just before 3pm.
“They were playing there, it was four of them then the three got trapped underground,” he explains.
“One who managed to escape came to inform the parents that his friends are trapped inside and need help."
The pastor said the sinkhole was caused by informal settlement residents digging the sand to put in their shacks for protection against flooding.
He said he was not impressed with what he called the “slow work” by the authorities.
"It has been three hours and we have not seen any progress. The parents are crying and I do not know what to say to console them. We need urgency," he told the Daily Voice at the scene.
The N2 in the direction of the Cape Town CBD was closed as there were fears that the sinkhole would grow larger.
The children’s parents were seen crying as emergency workers came to alert them each time a body was found.
The City's Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said an emergency call was received at 3.10pm of minors that fell into a hole near the N2/Borcherds Quarry intersection.
“Gugulethu and Mitchells Plain fire crews were dispatched to the scene,” he said.
“Upon arrival the officer informed the Control Centre that three minors fell into a hole.
“Technical rescue teams from Roeland Street and Metro EMS were dispatched.
“Just after 6pm the bodies of two minor boys were retrieved.”
The K9 unit was brought in to assist with locating the third child.