Mandela memorial sign language interpreter 'was making it up'

[muriel_volestrangler]

Leader of World Deaf Federation says man who signed at ceremony during Obama speech was a fake

Braam Jordaan, a deaf South African and board member of the World Deaf Federation, said the interpreter was making up signs as he went along. "The structure of his hand, facial expressions and the body movements did not follow what the speaker was saying," Jordaan said.

The man who signed for a section of the ceremony, including Barack Obama's speech, was simply making up his own signs, he said.
...
Members of South Africa's deaf community has previously raised concerns about the interpreter, who has been used at other African National Congress events. During his apperance on Tuesday, Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, the first deaf woman to be elected to the South African parliament tweeted: "ANC-linked interpreter on the stage with dep president of ANC is signing rubbish. He cannot sign. Please get him off."
...
Sheena Walters, of the World Association of Sign Language Interpreters, noted that the sign language the interpreter was using was unconventional at best and not recognisable as any accepted form of international or South African sign language. "It seems quite obvious that the interpreter isn't using South African sign language," she told SBS.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/11/mandela-memorial-sign-language-interpreter-making-it-up-fake

Strange - perhaps he's a friend of someone in the ANC who gives him the gig despite his incompetence. A shame it spoiled an important occasion.

[darkangel218]

1. I hope he gets fired!!

What a douche!!

[Sheldon Cooper]

2. What the hell??

How did this happen?

[MoonRiver]

3. So weird

And did they really think nobody would notice???

[clffrdjk]

6. oh he has been noticed before.

"Members of South Africa's deaf community has previously raised concerns about the interpreter, who has been used at other African National Congress events."

He just has the right friends/family to keep his job.

The really shocking part is just how bad he is, he is not even trying to get close.
[link:http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/africa/9504315/Deaf-outraged-at-Mandela-service|

[MoonRiver]

7. Unbelievable!

[Puzzledtraveller]

4. Two aunts and a uncle born deaf

My dads sisters and brother. This ticks me off.

[tavernier]

5. It almost appeared as if someone hired this clown

to make a mockery of the speeches.

I hope not.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

8. I think I know the cold open for this week's SNL (nt)

[K.O. Stradivarius]

10. Brings back memories

[Blue_Tires]

9. Wasn't there in recent years some other high-profile event or show or something

where the sign language interpreter was also a gate-crashing fraud?

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. Mandela memorial interpreter says he has schizophrenia

A South African sign language interpreter accused of gesticulating nonsense during the Nelson Mandela memorial service has claimed he is qualified but was hallucinating and hearing voices and said he is receiving treatment for schizophrenia.

Millions of TV viewers saw Thamsanqa Jantjie interpreting speeches by Barack Obama and other global leaders at the FNB stadium in Johannesburg. His gestures baffled and angered deaf people around the world, with experts saying he did not know even basic signs such as "thank you" or "Mandela".

"There was nothing I could do," Jantjie, 34, told South Africa's Star newspaper on Thursday. "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."

Jantjie said the episode meant he was seeing things and hearing loud voices in his head, impairing his ability to hear and interpret the speeches. But he could not leave so he persevered. "Life is unfair. This illness is unfair. Anyone who doesn't understand this illness will think that I'm just making this up."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/12/mandela-memorial-interpreter-schizophrenia-sign-language

Though previous complaints about him may indicate that, if this is true, then he should give up public interpreting because of his illness.