JOHANNESBURG: The sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela’s memorial, who said he had suffered a schizophrenic episode during the service after being labelled a fraud, has been admitted to a psychiatric hospital, South African media reported yesterday.
Thamsanqa Jantjie’s performance at last week’s event sparked outrage, with sign language experts saying his translations of the eulogies — including those by US President Barack Obama and Mandela’s grandchildren — amounted to little more than “flapping his arms around” and “just making funny gestures.”
The Star newspaper yesterday said Jantjie’s wife Siziwe had taken her husband for a check-up at a psychiatric hospital near Johannesburg on Tuesday, which suggested that he be admitted immediately.
Jantjie had been scheduled for a check-up at the Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital in Krugersdorp, west of Johannesburg, on December 10.
AFP
