Johannesburg - Growing rancour between Ms Winnie Mandela and President Thabo Mbeki has burst out into the open with the disgraced but still popular "mother of the nation" accusing the South African government of lacking democracy, betraying the ideals of the anti-apartheid liberation movement and of neglecting the poor.
The verbal assault follows Mr Mbeki's humiliation of Mr Nelson Mandela's former wife a week ago when he pushed her away as she tried to kiss and hug him at a rally to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Soweto uprising. After the incident, the ruling African National Congress accused Ms Mandela of "tomfoolery".