Apparently he’s a fake because he didn’t use the “approved” signs for different people’s names.
Via SF Gate:
Dec. 11 (Bloomberg) — An interpreter used to communicate with hearing-impaired people at a memorial service held for Nelson Mandelayesterday was a “fake,” according to the Deaf Federation of South Africa.
“Handshapes used were meaningless,” the group said in a statement today. “The interpreter did not use the established, recognized signs for President Mandela, President Zuma, President Thabo Mbeki and South Africa amongst many others.”
Thousands of South Africans gathered in the rain yesterday at the country’s biggest stadium to mark the life of Mandela, South Africa’s first black-president, who died at his home in Johannesburg on Dec. 5 at the age of 95. Speakers included South African President Jacob Zuma and U.S. President Barack Obama.
“This ‘fake interpreter’ has made a mockery of South African sign language and has disgraced the South African sign language interpreting profession,” the Deaf Federation said.