It’s day five of rescue operations for five-year-old Richard Thole from the Jerusalem informal settlement in Boksburg‚ who fell down a disused mineshaft.

A few people have gathered close to the scene but officials have cordoned off the area because the ground is unstable.

The mine rescue unit called off the search on Tuesday after its camera was damaged by mudslides.

The rescue team worked through the night to widen the shaft to prevent mudslides but heavy rockfalls affected the operation.

“The rockfalls add a secondary challenge to the operations and we’re sending the camera down to assess the depth of the shaft and the size of rocks that have fallen‚” said Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesman William Tladi.

Jerusalem resident Itumeleng Seremula‚ who has been at the scene since Saturday‚ said rescue operations had been starting too late in the day.

“They need to get here earlier so that more can be done to rescue the boy. They have been arriving late every day‚” he said.