The little boy who lost hope in South Africa

Hope is fading in South Africa for the family of a five-year
-old boy who fell into a disused mineshaft, after a number
 of failed rescue attempts.

Richard Thole was playing next to his family's shack near
Johannesburg when the ground gave in last Saturday.

His mother, Nombeko Thole, has said: "It hurts, I think my
 child is dead. I just want him back dead or alive."

Johannesburg is dotted with disused mines following
 the 19th Century gold rush which led to the city's founding.

The army has been requested to help find the boy.

Rescue efforts have been slow because of the volatility 
of the ground and the acid mine water inside the shaft, officials have said.

Mzwandile Masina, mayor of the local Ekurhuleni district, 
says there is only 11% oxygen in the shaft, making it almost
impossible for the boy to still be alive.

He has told the family to "prepare for the worst".

The mayor is also worried about "losing more life" in the process of the search after a member of the rescue team became unconscious after descending into the shaft.

A specialised camera was lowered into the shaft and 
three other mines on Wednesday but there was no sign
 of the boy.

The residents of the informal settlement, known as Jerusalem,
now want the government to relocate them, saying they fear for
their safety.
It is built on private land, once home to an active mine that has
been sealed since the 1950s.
The many mines around Johannesburg are often left derelict
when the reserves dry up, barely closed off.
Living space is a contentious issue here and so such land attracts
migrant workers looking for cheap accommodation.

The disused mines are rarely monitored so communities 
grow largely undetected - often only being discovered in 
the event of a tragedy such as this one.

The local government involved in this specific rescue
 mission has said overseeing the sealing of mines is 
outside its scope, that it's a matter for the Department of Mineral Resources.

The owners have yet to be located - many are asking questions about whether lessons will be learned from
 this horrific incident.

For Richard Thole's family, it's a lesson that may come 
at too high a cost.

Local people who support themselves by illegally mining for gold, and who know the network of shafts well, have offered
 to go underground to look for the boy but the authorities 
have said that was not an option.

"We cannot allow just anyone to go in there considering
 their safety aspect," emergency services spokesman
 William Ntladi said.

"There's been massive rock fall and I can confirm there 
were no illegal activities taking place at this shaft before
 the incident occurred."