The bodies of two more boys were found in Bruma Lake on Thursday afternoon after they were swept down the Jukskei River on Wednesday.
The popular Johannesburg lake was drained on Thursday as rescue workers searched for the two boys.
The search had also been extended to include a run-off from the lake towards Gilloolly’s Farm.
Earlier on Thursday, emergency personnel found the body of a third boy, who went missing with the other two.
Johannesburg mayor Amos Masondo had also arrived on Thursday to speak to the family of the third boy, who had had to identify the body of their son. The boy’s name was not released immediately.
The boys from the Bertrams area — Mark Strydom (12), his brother Kallie (13) and Kyle Hasson (13) — were apparently swept down the river while seeking shelter from the rain under a bridge near Ellis Park when the river came down.
Earlier, police divers joined hands and methodically trawled the lake for the boys. — Sapa