JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The Madiba memorial interpreter - who has been dubbed a “fake and a fraud” - is receiving treatment for schizophrenia.
Thami Jantjie, the fake interpreter, said in an interview with Talk Radio 702 he is currently receiving treatment for this disorder.
Jantjie also questioned why nobody picked up at the time that he wasn't interpreting properly.
"Remember, you are talking about an interpreter who has been interpreting through these years. If I was wrong why should it become an issue now?” he asked.
Jantjie said he is sad because he believes the issue could have been dealt with early if DeafSA had picked up his way of interpreting.
Interpreter refuses to sign for CNN. Thamsanqa Jantjie, the sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial, defends his "translation" at the event.
"It should have been put in clarity a long time ago,” he said. "What I have been doing, I think I have been a champion of sign language.”
He said that he doesn't want to discuss his condition as it will harm his children. Jantjie added that he is a senior interpreter with SA Interpreters.
The sign language interpreter who sparked outrage within the Deaf community says he may have suffered a kind of "schizophrenic" attack during the Mandela memorial and apologises for any offence caused.
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.
The words of former president Nelson Mandela. But at his memorial service on Tuesday, the Deaf community was short-changed by an apparently unqualified sign language interpreter.
Event organisers are now passing the buck as to who was responsible for hiring him... Read The Full Story.
Related Fake Interpreter:
Deaf Outraged Over Fake Sign Language Interpreter At Mandela Memorial
Marlee Matlin Reacts To The 'Fake' Interpreter
NAD Says 'Fake' Interpreter Signing Gibberish
Real Interpreter of the Nelson Mandela Memorial
I'm Schizophrenic, Says 'Fake' Interpreter
'Fake' Sign Language Interpreter Defends Himself
ASL Morning Message: 'Fake Interpreter'
#FakeInterpreter - Rights For Deaf Children
Deaf Advocates Asks Europe Union For Interpreter Standards
Hurricane Irma Emergency 'Fake' Interpreter
Related Terp Goes Viral:
Deaf Interpreter Goes Viral On Social Media
Houston's ASL Interpreter Steals The Show
Sign Language Interpreter Goes Viral During Ebola Press Conference
Lydia Callis: Bloomberg's Interpreter Goes Viral
De Blasio's Deaf Interpreter Steals Spotlight
Cyclone Sign Language Guy Goes Viral
Eurovision Sign Language Interpreter Is A Web Hit
Florida's ASL Interpreter Steals The Show
Related Terp Parodies/Spoofs:
SNL Spoofs Fake Sign Language Interpreter Skit
Your Jokes About Bloomberg's Sign Language Interpreters Aren't Funny
'SNL' Opening Skit Puts Sign Language Interpreter Front & Center
Marlee Matlin Upset Over 'SNL' Sign Language Skit
ASL Interpreters Mocking Video Compilation
Lydia Callis, Bloomberg Interpreter Goes Viral
ASL Terp Signs Jimmy Kimmel's Monologue
