A flash flood swept four Matatiele children to their death on Wednesday.
Two more children are missing.
Seventeen pupils had started crossing the Mgxojeni river when the floodwaters suddenly arrived, trapping them midway, the Dispatch was told by people at the scene.
Villagers said the children did not know whether to turn back or try get to the other side.
In the confusion all 17 were swept away. Members of the community managed to rescue 11 children.
Four bodies were found later the same day but two others are still missing.
The bodies recovered were those of Sinekhaya Mfolozi, 7, Sixolile Ndleleni, 7, Elomso Ntsimbi, 8, and Hlalanathi Mbuleka, 6.
The missing children are Boitumelo Lebenya, 8, and Masixole Molekoa, 6.
Social workers tried their best to comfort distraught parents and elderly guardians when news came from police divers that the bodies had been recovered but prayers could not staunch the flow of grief on the banks of the river.
The children were on their way home from school, where they were in Grade R and Grade 2 at Popopo Primary School in Popopo village.
The children were on their way to Freystata village.
Police and rescue workers from as far as East London and Mthatha raced to the area on Wednesday and Thursday and combed the river for bodies.
On the river banks a crowd of 100 villagers gathered, some arriving on foot, others on horseback, to hold a grim vigil.
Popopo Primary principal Karabo Hantsi fought back tears as he spoke to reporters at the river. “I am devastated to lose six children at once. This is such a disaster. The entire school community is in shock and in mourning.”
He said that when the pupils were released from school at 2pm there was no sign of rain.
“About 20 minutes later a heavy storm came from nowhere and took everybody by surprise.
“I was worried with the children going home to Freystata and I was devastated to hear some have been drowned,” said Hantsi.
There is no school in Freystata and children as young as five have to travel 5km to the school crossing three streams and passing though some bushy areas on the way.
There is no provision of school transport.
The parents and community leaders demanded that the government build bridges for the safety of the community.
Some said the issue of bridges had been raised many times, not only with Matatiele’s local authority, Elundini municipality, but also the overseeing district municipality, Alfred Nzo.
A police search, called off at dusk on Wednesday, continued all day on Thursday.
Matatiele mayor Momelezi Mbedla, Elundini mayor Nonkongozelo Lengs and her council speaker Vangiwe Hokwana were on the scene, assisting in the search and trying to console the villagers.
“This is so shocking. It came at a time that we as the municipality were busy with efforts to construct a bridge.
“The construction company is already on site as this happens. It has left us all shocked,” said Mbedla.
Lengs said: ''These children were at school in our own municipality and therefore they are our children as well.”
Hokwana added “We are all affected by this natural disaster. The two municipalities will sit down and see how we can assist the families.”
Police spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni said: “Six children, aged between six and eight years, were reported to have been swept away whilst a river on their way home after school.
“Search and Rescue K9 members from Mthatha and Elliot attended to the scene.
“Mt Fletcher SAPS, EMS and forensic pathology were also on scene.
“Four of the deceased were recovered by the time Search and Rescue K9 personnel arrived on scene.
“Two victims have not yet been found. The search was called off for safety reasons.”..