Cape Town - Former president Nelson Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel said some leaders that have been elected to lead the country, have betrayed South Africans.
She said the the issues of state capture and corruption by politicians continue to dominate the news headlines and political discourse.
Machel was speaking at the 11th Dullah Omar memorial lecture at the University of the Western Cape on Tuesday.
“We feel betrayed by some who we have elected to lead and govern us with responsibility, accountability and respect for the constitution. They put themselves and their coffers ahead of the well being of the country and the people.
“Political assassinations have become common especially in KwaZulu-Natal. Just a few days ago in East London a political conference ended in bloodshed.
Those we have entrusted for our well being are not leading with a sense of ethics and morality,” she said.
Machel also addressed violence against women and children and said there needs to be a dialogue within the society.
“As a society we have normalised living in violence. The prevalence of violence against children, women and the elderly is an indication of the decay of moral fibre.
"Violence against foreigners, Afrophobia is an indication of a nation that is at war with itself."