--------- 19 December 2013 Last updated at 10:39 Nelson Mandela memorial interpreter 'hospitalised' [image: US President Barack Obama delivers a speech at the Nelson Mandela memorial next to sign language interpreter Thamsanqa Jantjie] 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. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25446379 -- Mario Huet List Administrator Libertarian Alliance Forum ************************************************** * Words cannot picture her; but all men know * * That solemn sketch the pure sad artist wrought * ************************************************** James Thomson, The City of Dreadful Night -- -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "PoliticalForum" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
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