PRETORIA,
South Africa -- The sign language interpreter used at Tuesday's
memorial service for Nelson Mandela, and whose image was broadcast
around the world as he shared a stage with world leaders including
President Obama, was being called a "fake" by the Deaf Federation of
South Africa.
Bruno Druchen, the national director of the
federation, sent this tweet as the event was taking place at FNB Stadium
on the outskirts of Johannesburg, South Africa:
Wilma Newhoudt, a deaf member of South Africa's parliament, tweeted this:
The
Associated Press also reported the allegation Wednesday, saying that
three sign language experts who watched the broadcast said the man was
not signing in South African or American sign languages.
"It was
horrible, an absolute circus, really really bad," Nicole Du Toit, an
official sign language interpreter, told the AP. "Only he can understand
those gestures."
USA TODAY was not able to independently confirm
the allegations, which if proved true would be an enormous embarrassment
to South African officials at a time when the nation is looking to
celebrate the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela.
South Africa's government said it is preparing a statement.
Collins Chabane, one of South Africa's two presidency ministers, said the government is continuing to investigate the matter.
Many
South Africans were unaware of the sign language controversy Wednesday.
Rachel Kika, 47, a teacher from the northern cape was surpirsed.
"I
would not think the government would put someone there who did not know
what they were doing," she said. "It would be very disappointing. I
hope they got the facts wrong. I don't know how that would happen when
sign language is an official language."
Bronwen Wilson-Thomson, 50, was shocked such a thing would happen.
"It would be sad if true," she said. "It's not like they can't find people who know sign language."
She
said a few years ago, a singer messed up the national anthem by singing
it to a different tune during a cricket match. "I guess if we can have
someone mess up the national anthem, we can have someone mess up the
sign language," she said.
Watch excerpts from the interpreter signing here:
Marisol Bello reported from Pretoria; Kim Hjelmgaard from London.
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