South Africa investigates 'fake signer' security checks

Correspondent | Thursday December 12, 2013 16:37

 

Thamsanqa Dyantyi, who stood alongside national and international leaders at the event, has blamed his actions on a schizophrenic episode.

He said he had become violent during such episodes in the past.

The agency who employed him, SA Interpreters, has reportedly vanished.

The African National Congress (ANC) has said it has used Mr Dyantyi as an interpreter several times before, and had not been aware of any complaints about his qualifications or health.

But it said Tuesday's memorial at a stadium in Johannesburg was organised by the state, not the ANC, so the ruling party could not comment on security arrangements.

The South African Translators' Institute earlier said there had been complaints over Mr Dyantyi's work before, but that the ANC had taken no action.

 

 

'No embarrassment'

Mr Mandela died last week at the age of 95, and will be buried on Sunday.

His body is currently lying in state in Pretoria, with thousands queuing to pay their respects.

During the memorial, Mr Dyantyi 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 Dyantyi'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 that the interpreter had been properly accredited and there was no security concern.

But she said: 'In terms of security clearance that is in a process, we are requesting to check his vetting.

'But normally when you do provide a service at a particular level you will be vetted and as you could see he had his accreditation, so he didn't just walk through.'

She apologised to the deaf community but said there was no reason for the country to be embarrassed.

'There are as many as a hundred sign language dialects,' she said, explaining that Mr Dyantyi speaks Xhosa and that 'the English was a bit too much for him'.

She did not rule out employing him in some circumstances again but accused Mr Dyantyi's employers of being cheats, and said the directors had of SA interpreters had since vanished.

Mr Dyantyi himself has blamed his flawed interpretation on a schizophrenic episode. He also admitted he has been violent in the past.

He said that during the event, he had lost concentration because of voices in his head.

He said he had started hallucinating, and saw angels coming into the stadium.

'I was in a very difficult position,' he said.

He also indicated that his past behaviour had sometimes been unpredictable, telling the Associated Press news agency that 'sometimes I will react violent on this place, sometimes I will see things chasing me'.

(BBC)