Nelson Mandela memorial interpreter 'was a fake'

This is quite embarrassing really, According to The Telegram, Man who provided sign language interpretation on stage for Nelson Mandela's memorial service, attended by scores of heads of state, was simply "making childish hand gestures" for hours.

Deaf groups say the man, who has not yet been identified, made no sense in any language to those relying on him around the world, and did not seem to know the recognised signs for South Africa. As a result, they say, he had the effect of marginalising the deaf community, which was “contrary to everything Mandela fought for”.

The interpreter, who wore the clearance pass of a government official, stood just feet from Mr Obama as he made his widely-praised speech, and also interpreted for South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma, who apparently faces such a high threat level that he recently spent £12.4m on security upgrades to his private home.

The latest embarrassment was compounded by the news that Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu’s house in Cape Town was burgled as he spoke at the event.



Sign language experts in South Africa said that all of the country’s 11 official languages were covered by the same signs, and they saw none of them used, nor any of the facial gestures that usually feature.
Ingrid Parkin, principal of the St Vincent School for the Deaf in Johannesburg, said she had received complaints from deaf people from around the world about the “gibberish” interpretation.

“This man himself knows he cannot sign and he had the guts to stand on an international stage and do that,” she said.