Mandela sign language 'fake' blames 'schizophrenic episode' and voices in his head for gibberish interpretation that included words 'prawns' and 'rocking horse'

  • Interpreter at memorial said he may have suffered episode on stage
  • Thamsanqa Jantjie said he started hearing voices in his head during event
  • He has apologised and said he did not know what triggered attack
  • It has been claimed he repeatedly signed words 'prawns' and 'donkeys'

By James Rush

PUBLISHED: 02:33 EST, 12 December 2013 | UPDATED: 03:58 EST, 12 December 2013


A South African sign language interpreter accused of making up his own signs during a memorial to Nelson Mandela has said he may have suffered a schizophrenic episode on stage.

The interpreter, identified as Thamsanqa Jantjie, 34, said he was qualified but started hearing voices in his head and hallucinating, resulting in gestures which made no sense during the memorial.

Mr Jantjie has apologised for the incident and said he did not know what triggered the attack, saying he took medication for his schizophrenia.

Scroll down for video

The sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial accused of being 'a fake' has said he may have suffered a schizophrenic episode on stage

The sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial accused of being 'a fake' has said he may have suffered a schizophrenic episode on stage

Thamsanqa Jantjie, speaking at his home in Bramfischerville, South Africa, on Wednesday, has said he started hearing voices in his head and hallucinating, resulting in gestures which made no sense

Thamsanqa Jantjie, speaking at his home in Bramfischerville, South Africa, on Wednesday, has said he started hearing voices in his head and hallucinating, resulting in gestures which made no sense

Claims: Braam Jordaan, a deaf South African and board member of the World Deaf Federation, claimed the man was simply making up his own signs

Claims: Braam Jordaan, a deaf South African and board member of the World Deaf Federation, claimed the man was simply making up his own signs

Address

Address: U.S. President Barack Obama addresses the crowd while the interpreter stands next to him

He said he worked for a company called SA Interpreters which had been hired by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for Tuesday's ceremony at Johannesburg's 95,000-seat Soccer City stadium. He said he was paid 85 dollars (£52) for interpreting the event.

Mr Jantjie told Johannesburg's Star newspaper: 'There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation. I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on.

'I am very sorry. It's the situation I found myself in.'

 

More...

Mr Jantjie told the paper he was medically boarded due to his schizophrenia, which has left him relying on a social grant now. He said he used interpreting to make ends meet.

He did not address allegations by sign language experts that he faked interpretation for Tuesday's memorial attended by scores of world leaders and broadcast internationally.

South Africa's leading deaf association had yesterday claimed he was a fake and said he was inventing signs.

Mich-matched:

Mis-matched: The man's movement's did not match that of the official interpreter, left

Mr Jantjie has apologised for the incident and said he did not know what triggered the attack, saying he took medication for his schizophrenia

Mr Jantjie has apologised for the incident and said he did not know what triggered the attack, saying he took medication for his schizophrenia

However, in a radio interview Mr Jantjie said he was happy with his performance at the memorial to the anti-apartheid hero, who died a week ago aged 95.

He told Talk Radio 702: 'Absolutely, absolutely. I think that I've been a champion of sign language.'

According to The Sun, Twitter users with sign language knowledge claimed the interpreter repeatedly used signs for 'donkey', 'lightning bolt' and 'prawns'.

Eye Witness News meanwhile has reported trained sign language trainers said he also made reference to 'rocking horses'.

Braam Jordaan, a deaf South African and board member of the World Deaf Federation, has said he believed the interpreter was making up signs as he went along.

The government, which was in charge of the mass memorial, has said it did not know who he was.

Tribute: Military officers carry the coffin of former president Nelson Mandela into the Union Buildings in the South African capital Pretoria, the seat of government where he will lie in state for three days

Tribute: Military officers carry the casket of former president Nelson Mandela into the Union Buildings in the South African capital Pretoria, the seat of government where he will lie in state for three days

Citizens stood on top of bollards and clamoured to film the historic passing of the cortege on their smartphones

Citizens stood on top of bollards and clamoured to film the historic passing of the cortege on their phones

The ANC has also denied knowing about although footage from two large ANC events last year showed him signing on stage next to President Jacob Zuma.

The controversy has come during South Africa's 10-day farewell to Mandela, whose remains were lying in state for a second day on Thursday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was sworn in as the nation's first black president in 1994.

The death of Nobel peace laureate Mandela triggered an outpouring of grief and emotion - as well as celebration and thanksgiving - among his 53 million countrymen and millions more around the world.

His body will lay in state for a third day on Friday before being flown to the Eastern Cape, where it will be buried on Sunday at his ancestral home in Qunu, 450 miles south of Johannesburg.

Comments (16)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Who on earth appointed this guy? It is easy to check if a 'signer' knows what they are doing. Get a deaf person to chat to them in sign language and see how they respond. Many deaf people were discriminated against by this mistake.

1
1
 Click to rate

So the American security forces were quite happy to have a schizophrenic who was signing gibberish standing next to their president ? Then again Obama talks gibberish and is delusional too !!!

0
3
 Click to rate

In London, Washington, Paris, Berlin and many other seats of government it's called 'jobs-for-the-boys'. Loosely translated it means you're a mate so here's a job and who cares whether you can do it or not you'll still get a big fat pay-cheque plus a bonus!

0
3
 Click to rate

So does he actually know sign language or not? That's kind of important.

0
2
 Click to rate

How can ANC say they have no idea who he is, he would have had to have been security checked by them surely as he was right next to all the VIP speakers...!?! Has also been used before when did same. Keeps on having schizophrenic attacks, bizarre...?!

0
3
 Click to rate

How was such an ill man allowed to have a central role in such an event?

0
1
 Click to rate

Blagger got found out and the best excuse he could come up with is that? Lol

1
52
 Click to rate

Thought he was telling us the bets for the horses 2/1 etc

0
26
 Click to rate

Haha, typical sort of excuse....guess he will be claiming it was a video curse in the next episode of game for a laugth. Hope fully he was well paid and now has enougth money raised to see removal of the curse or at least is able to buy more medication.....there you go, a nice politicaly correct appropriate response for those politicaly correct reader......

3
31
 Click to rate

It's your lie man. Tell it however you want. You story is just like your sign language, Fake.

0
74
 Click to rate

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Add your comment

By posting your comment you agree to our house rules.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now