The reception for President Jacob Zuma during this week's memorial for Mandela highlighted the challenges South Africa faces following the death of Mandela.
President Jacob Zuma was booed by large sections of the audience in part because of perceptions that he is corrupt.
The vast sums of government money that he has spent on his private home have also infuriated those who have nothing.
Twenty years after the birth of the new South Africa and the majority of the black population still live in shanty towns.
In one such town, established the year after Nelson Mandela came to power, the high hopes that came with Mandela's election are now a distant memory for the people who live here.
"I’m angry with the government because we are just sitting like pigs on the shacks," says one resident.
"The toilets...they don't flush, everything is very bad for us."
The revelation that President Zuma spent around $20 million dollars of taxpayers' money refurbishing his home has damaged his reputation and that of the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
"All these people are suffering here and they vote for what?" another resident says.
"The ANC can't do nothing about the people."
Political commentator Professor Adam Habib at the University of Witwatersrand says there is growing rage among the poorer members of the population.
He says the ANC is playing with fire.
"That 200 million rand could have been spent on a feeding scheme for poor people. It could have been spent on a school," Professor Habib says.
"Instead it was spent on a house. It is an ostentatious lavish expenditure."
Where now for South Africa? Interview with Professor Habib
That Professor Habib can speak so critically of his government is a testament to how far South Africa has come, but not everyone shares his views.
Former political prisoner Ahmed Kathrada was jailed alongside Nelson Mandela, serving more than 20 years in prison.
A former ANC MP, he won't be drawn on President Zuma's spendthrift ways.
He says those who have yet to share the spoils of victory need to have patience.
“It'll not happen in our lifetime. There are old democracies like America where there is still poverty,” Mr Kathrada says.
“We are only 20 years old. We're making progress but it's not going to happen in our lifetime.”
The scandal over the president's home comes just months before South Africa goes to the polls and time may be running out for the party of Nelson Mandela, unless it gets its house in order.
"For the last couple of years we've had scandal after scandal and sooner or later the ANC has to stand up and say enough is enough," Professor Habib says. "Because if they don't do that then tomorrow, maybe not in 2014, but definitely some time in the future, they will pay the cost at the polls."
