Nelson Mandela memorial sign language interpreter ‘hospitalised’

The White House has downplayed
fears that Thamsanqa Jantjie was a
security risk

The signer at Nelson Mandela’s
memorial – accused of making up
gestures – has been admitted to a
psychiatric hospital, local media
report.
Thamsanqa Jantjie “might have had
a breakdown”, his wife Siziwe is
quoted as saying.
Sign language experts accused him
of referring to “prawns” and
“rocking horses” while translating
eulogies at Mr Mandela’s memorial
last week.
Mr Jantjie said he suffered a
sudden attack of schizophrenia.
He insisted he was a qualified
interpreter.
South Africa’s Deputy Disability
Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu
has said the company which had
employed him had “vanished”.
Mr Jantjie’s wife took him to a
psychiatric hospital near
Johannesburg for a check-up on
Tuesday, and it was suggested that
he be admitted immediately,
Johannesburg’s The Star newspaper
reports.

‘Funny gestures’

“The past few days have been hard.
We have been supportive because
he might have had a breakdown,”
Mrs Jantjie is quoted as saying.
Last week, Mr Jantjie said he was
supposed to have gone for a check-
up on the day of the memorial, but
he postponed it.
During the memorial at
Johannesburg’s FNB stadium, which
was broadcast live around the
world, Mr Jantjie stood on the stage
next to key speakers including US
President Barack Obama, South
African President Jacob Zuma and
Mr Mandela’s grandchildren,
translating their eulogies.
Mr Jantjie blamed his flawed
interpretation on a schizophrenic
episode, saying he had seen angels
coming into the stadium.
The White House has downplayed
fears that he was a security risk to
Mr Obama.
Sign language experts said he had
made “funny gestures” and little
more than “flapping his arms
around”.
The governing African National
Congress (ANC) said it had used Mr
Jantjie as an interpreter several
times before, and “had not been
aware of any of complaints
regarding the quality of services,
qualifications or reported illnesses”
of the interpreter.
Mr Mandela died on 5 December at
the age of 95 and was buried on
Sunday.