South Africa won the third Test by an innings and 86 runs with a day to spare on Sunday, which gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the series with one match left.
It was the West Indies' 12th defeat in their last 19 Tests. The only two wins have been against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
"We have a basic lack of discipline, it is something that is sadly lacking in our game," former fast bowler Michael Holding was quoted as saying in the Daily Nation on Monday.
"We keep on going through the same scenario and we are not getting much (in the way of) results.
"Our current team needs to be more competitive, but it all starts off the field. We are getting a lot of talk but not much action."
Holding, who was a key member of the world-beating West Indies sides of the 1970s and 80s, feared for the current team's mental state.
"Morale in the side must be quite low," Holding was quoted as saying. "Coming here and being totally outplayed ... they have to be rock bottom or even lower."
One of Holding's former team mates, ex-paceman Joel Garner, said problems off the field were an important factor.
"The players who take the field are not the only ones at fault in West Indies cricket," the paper quoted him as saying.
"The game has been going downhill for years and no one has decided to take the bull by the horns. All the emphasis seems to be on the administration, not on the field."
The fourth and last Test starts in Antigua on Friday.
