The body of the missing grade 8 Parktown Boys pupil has been found by the police.

"The family was fully briefed and we are all devastated by this tragic accident. Our thoughts are with the family and the school community," Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said on Friday.

The last time 13-year-old Enock Mpianzi was seen was moments before a group of school boys' homemade river raft overturned during a water activity on an orientation camp at a lodge near Brits in the North West, police said.

The school left for the orientation camp on Wednesday.

“The kids were divided into groups and they were given material to build their own water raft. They were going down the Crocodile River,” Colonel Adele Myburgh said.

Myburgh said Enock was with a group of about 12 pupils on the homemade raft before it overturned.

“It seems like the currents were quite strong and the last time the boy was seen is when some of his friends saw the raft overturn and the kids fell off into the water,” Myburgh said.

Myburgh said the incident happened at about 3pm on Wednesday.