Interpreter at Mandela event: I was hallucinating
Source: Associated Press
JOHANNESBURG (AP) - The man accused of faking sign interpretation while standing alongside world leaders like U.S. President Barack Obama at Nelson Mandela's memorial service said Thursday he saw "angels" at the event, has been violent in the past and suffers from schizophrenia.
Thamsanqa Jantjie said in a 45-minute interview with The Associated Press that his hallucinations began while he was interpreting and that he tried not to panic because there were "armed policemen around me." He added that he was once hospitalized in a mental health facility for more than one year.
...
Jantjie, who stood gesticulating three-feet (1 meter) from Obama and others who spoke at Tuesday's ceremony that was broadcast around the world, insisted that he was doing proper sign-language interpretation of the speeches of world leaders.
But he also apologized for his performance that has been dismissed by many sign-language experts as gibberish.
Read more: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20131212/DAAKQTP82.html
(edited to link to a longer version of the article)
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let me first say I am an American and am TOTALLY speculating here. BUT from what I have seen here in this country and have heard over the course of my dozen or so trips over the last 2 years the ANC has devolved into an exclusive club of well connected people. It's a damn shame. The people of SA are BEAUTIFUL! I say that with the utmost sincerity, but as you saw when Zuma was booed at Madiba's memorial, this aint Madiba's ANC anymore. Zuma basically pulled off a coup to get Mbeki removed. That interpreter was probably some dude who knew somebody who knew somebody. Nobody checked him out because there was no open screening process. He didn't need credentials just a good friend in a high place. 
That's how they get down over here now. And the country has HAD IT with them. I am in Joburg right now and people are disgusted with the way the ANC is using Mandela's death as a political tool. BUT the ANC and it's relationship to Mandela almost guarantee their power. It's EXACTLY what Madiba was fighting. And whilst he lived they were too ashamed to really pull out all of the corrupt stops, but we shall see what happens now. In SA unfortunately like in the US, it is who you know. I hope hope hope that with the eyes of the world on SA that it somehow guilts them into coming correct for these amazing people. The elections in 6 months will be very interesting. Although the ANC will win. and whoever heads the ANC is president. That's how it works. People vote for the ANC because they are the party that freed them from apartheid. The loyalty is unshakable at present. That is why the ANC is always stating over and over that Mandela said he would be a member of the ANC until he died and after. Kind of how repubs say they're the party of Lincoln. Like yeah ok. The ANC are using the man. It is really sad. BUT if miracles happen anywhere in the world baby they happen in the RSA! I LOVE this country and its people and they have been through waaaaaay worse. They will prevail. VIVA SOUTH AFRICA!!!
no one is saying that there shouldn't be sign language interpreters at these events. no one is taking a shot at the deaf. this entire incident is absurd.
it was playing on the word 'gibberish', which would be spoken by, theoretically, the people of Gibber, the Gibbers.
DU is a freaking no fun zone.
