Thamsanqa Jantjie, the sign interpreter at Nelson Mandela’s memorial who is 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 Thamsanqa Jantjie of referring to “prawns” and “rocking horses” while translating eulogies at Nelson Mandela’s memorial last week.
Thamsanqa 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”.
Thamsanqa Jantjie has been admitted to Johannesburg psychiatric hospital
Thamsanqa 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.
“The past few days have been hard. We have been supportive because he might have had a breakdown,” Siziwe Jantjie is quoted as saying.
Last week, Thamsanqa 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, Thamsanqa Jantjie stood on the stage next to key speakers including President Barack Obama, South African President Jacob Zuma and Nelson Mandela’s grandchildren, translating their eulogies.
Thamsanqa 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 President Obama.
Sign language experts said Thamsanqa Jantjie had made “funny gestures” and little more than “flapping his arms around”.
The governing African National Congress (ANC) said it had used Thamsanqa 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.
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Sign language interpreter Thamsanqa Jantjie, who claimed to suffer an on-stage schizophrenic episode during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, failed to communicate a single word of a speech made by South African President Jacob Zuma more than a year ago.
The Deaf Federation of South Africa alleged that “100% of the information was omitted” by Thamsanqa Jantjie after he appeared at an event in January 2012.
According to NBC News, the group described Thamsanqa Jantjie’s interpreting for Jacob Zuma as “a mockery” and claimed his gestures appeared “self-invented”.
Thamsanqa Jantjie’s abilities came into question after he was accused by deaf groups of performing meaningless gestures during Nelson Mandela’s memorial service. Some groups suggested he was a “fake.”
He translated while standing three feet away from world leaders including President Barack Obama.
The Deaf Federation of South Africa complained to ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe following the party’s centenary celebrations last year.
The federation’s national director Bruno Druchen wrote that Thamsanqa Jantjie’s sign language at that event was “meaningless” and “self-invented.”
Thamsanqa Jantjie failed to communicate a single word of a speech made by President Jacob Zuma in 2012
In the letter, which is dated January 21, 2012, Bruno Druchen compares an extract from Jacob Zuma’s speech with what Thamsanqa Jantjie actually conveyed through his sign language.
Bruno Druchen quoted Jacob Zuma as saying:
“Deputy president of the ANC and officials of the African National Congress, National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, ANC women league , Youth League (crowd scream and applaud) African National Congress leadership of MK military . Leadership from SACP, SATU and SANCO.
Friends from all over Africa and the world, comrades and compatriots, the ANC is the oldest liberation movement on the African continent is 100 years old today. We have come from all corners of South Africa , Africa and the World.”
Bruno Druchen then translated the sign language Thamsanqa Jantjie was using on stage to convey Jacob Zuma’s words (some of his corresponding hand movements are in brackets):
“All heart (ten hand move forward) which had no meaning, together (hand move back to the heart) then the sign for C is used. The hands go down to side and then point left with his right hand (no meaning) sign for beg is used repeatedly and the sign is placed on different levels in front of torso with a rocking movement. Both hands in claw shape in the air with movement with no meaning , then again the sign for beg, tree and the help sign and then the hands go forward indicating future.”
Bruno Druchen goes on to say that the interpreter did not use facial expressions, a crucial part of any form of sign language, and describes his performance as a “mime.”
“The signs used are not recognized by the deaf community in South Africa…the interpreter is unknown to the deaf community,” he said.
ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said he has no knowledge of the complaint ever being made. He said his party is investigating the incident and reviewing its hiring and vetting procedures.
The South African government has launched an investigation into the Mandela’s memorial incident.
According to Thamsanqa Jantjie, he was paid a $85 day rate for appearing at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service.
On Thursday, South African government minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu pointed out that most qualified sign language interpreters charge $125 to $165 per hour and speculated that a junior official might have opted for the cheapest quote.
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South Africa’s Deputy Disability Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu says the government is investigating how interpreter Thamsanqa Jantjie, who faked sign language at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service was given security clearance.
Thamsanqa Jantjie, who stood alongside world leaders at the event, has denied being a fraud, and said he panicked when he began hallucinating.
The sign interpreter said he had schizophrenia, which had in the past made him act violently.
The agency that employed him, SA Interpreters, has reportedly vanished.
Thamsanqa Jantjie, who stood alongside world leaders at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service, has denied being a fraud
The African National Congress (ANC) said it had used Thamsanqa 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.
Tuesday’s memorial at a stadium in Johannesburg was organized by the state, not the ANC, so the ruling party could not comment on security arrangements.
The South African Translators’ Institute said earlier there had been complaints over Thamsanqa Jantjie’s work before, but that the ANC had taken no action.
The ANC said it would “follow up the reported correspondence that has supposedly been sent to us in this regard and where necessary act on it”.
During the memorial, Thamsanqa Jantjie stood on the stage next to key speakers including President Barack Obama, South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma and Nelson Mandela’s grandchildren, translating their eulogies.
Thamsanqa Jantjie ‘s performance was watched on television by millions of people worldwide and angered the South African deaf community. Pressure has been mounting on the government to explain why he was hired for such an important event.
Deputy Disability Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu told a news conference on Thursday: “Firstly, I don’t think South Africa as a country would put at risk anybody’s security, especially those of heads of state.
“Secondly, when somebody provides a service of a sign language interpreter, I don’t think… somebody would say: <<Is your head ok? Do you have any mental disability?>> I think the focus was on: <<Are you able to sign? Can you provide the services?>>”
But she said: “In terms of security clearance that is in a process, we are requesting to check his vetting.”
Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu apologized to the deaf community but said there was no reason for South Africa to be embarrassed.
