The Azapo Youth League is calling on former president Nelson Mandela to apologise to the nation for "selling out black people's struggle".

Its president, Amukelani Ngobeni, said Mandela would not have peace should he die without having apologised for "selling out black people's struggle" through secret talks he held with the apartheid government.

Ngobeni said Mandela had agreed to a compromised constitution, which today made it very difficult for the government to deliver services.

"Many of his friends did not get [ the] opportunity to apologise before they died and he must consider himself lucky and use the opportunity for his soul to rest peacefully, before it is too late."

He said South Africa was today one of the most unequal societies in the world because of "Mandela's selfishness".

Despite South Africa' s natural wealth , "we remain not in charge of all these because Mandela could not wait to be the first black president of the country".

"What is peace and reconciliation when people are dying of hunger ? What is peace and reconciliation when people are jobless without hope? What does peace and reconciliation bring to a country where children [ learn] under trees and without books?"

Nelson Mandela Foundation spokesman Sello Hatang said Mandela had always maintained "that he was always acting as part of the collective".

The ANC could not be reached for comment.