The unidentified 'interpreter' stood next to speakers on the main stage at Tuesday's Nelson Mandela memorial. Members of the deaf community around the world were not fooled and quickly took to social media to expose the so-called fake. So who is the mystery man and who vetted him?
Storified by The Globe and Mail ·
Wed, Dec 11 2013 07:34:52
He stood next to Nelson Mandela's grandchildren - and appeared to sign their heartwarming tributes:
'Fake' interpreter at Nelson Mandela memorial ·
telegraphtv
And there he was standing next to U.S. President Barack Obama in the opening frames, as Mr. Obama walked to the podium:
Obama's Complete Nelson Mandela Memorial Speech ·
thedailyconversation
In fact, it appears that he was on stage for much of the four-hour long Mandela memorial - his apparent signing clashing with an actual sign language interpreter that appeared in a box on TV screens:
Fake interpreter at Mandela Memorial ·
apnadlymer
Too quick to see the difference between the would-be interpreter and the actual interpreter? Someone slowed it all down:
Fake interpreter vs a real one at Mandela's Memorial (slowed down) ·
dailymirror
The identity of the interpreter remains unknown and how he got on stage is unclear - raising serious security questions - as world leaders, Mandela family members and South African politicians took to the stage to pay tribute.
Bruno Druchen, national director of the Deaf Federation of South Africa, was outraged:
Please get RID of this CLOWN interpreter,please! http://t.co/ziAZ4KBFNZ ·
Bruno Peter Druchen
As was South African sign language trainer and interpreter Francois Deysel:
@BrunoDruchen please can someone ask the interpreter to step down from stage, it is embarrassing and making a mockery of our profession
— Francois ·
Tue, Dec 10 2013 02:42:07
The 'interpreter' also caught the attention of viewers around the world. The Limping Chicken - UK's independent deaf news blog and web site - had this to say:
"The ‘interpreter’ signed in a way I’ve never seen before, a strange repetitive rhythm to his movements – his signs appearing to come in threes or fours, occasionally swinging his shoulders, as if he was signing along with an intermittent beat."
The Globe's Africa correspondent has been doing some digging - and it turns out there have been previous complaints about the 'interpreter':
the dodgy interpreter didn't even know the sign for "South Africa"; had been object of complaints for over a year
http://t.co/YhIXKGbIsv …
— Geoffrey York ·
Wed, Dec 11 2013 06:48:26
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) said it had no idea who the man was. “I don’t know this guy. He doesn’t work for the ANC. It was a government event. Ask them,” said spokesman Jackson Mthembu, according to Reuters. The South African government is also investigating:
government says it has been "too busy" to find out whether the Mandela interpreter was fake, but it is investigating
— Geoffrey York ·
Wed, Dec 11 2013 06:29:34
"Government will report any info it may establish but we are clear in defending rights and dignity of people with disabilities" -- spokesman
— Geoffrey York ·
Wed, Dec 11 2013 06:58:42
And hat tip to our Africa correspondent on spotting the fake Twitter account that popped up of the Nelson Mandela memorial 'interpreter' - a bunch of tweets of random words strung together:
Late bra. Wellington. Keyhole.
— MemorialSigner ·
Wed, Dec 11 2013 05:55:56
