The body of a five-year-old girl was discovered in a cattle dip in Ntapuka, Ndwedwe, on Friday afternoon.

According to Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa), the child had reportedly been playing with two friends when she walked down the stairs of the dip. 

It is unclear whether she slipped or was unable to climb back out, but she disappeared beneath the water.

A cattle dip is a sunken pool with a mixture of chemicals and pesticides that livestock are walked through to control ticks, flies, lice and other parasites. 

The girl’s friends called for help as soon as she disappeared around midday, but community members were unable to retrieve her body, despite draining half of the dip.

Rusa officers responded and were later able to recover the body.

Police are investigating the incident.

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