- South Africa's deaf federation confirms his movements had 'no meaning'
- Standing on stage during televised event at the FNB stadium
- Some members of the deaf community took to Twitter to express outrage
South Africa's deaf federation has confirmed that an interpreter using sign language during the Mandela memorial was a 'fake'.
The man, who signed for a portion of the televised event at Johannesburg's FNB Stadium was simply making up his own signs, according to the Deaf Federation of South Africa.
The unidentified man seen around the world on television next to leaders like U.S. President Barack Obama 'was moving his hands around but there was no meaning in what he used his hands for,' said Bruno Druchen, the federation's national director.
Three sign language experts said the man was not signing in South African or American sign languages.
South African sign language covers all of the country's 11 official languages, according to the federation.
South African parliament member Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, a member of the ruling party who is deaf and who is married to Druchen, also said the man communicated nothing with his hand and arm movements.
Nicole Du Toit, an official sign language interpreter who also watched the broadcast, said in a telephone interview that the man on stage purporting to sign was an embarrassment.
Read more: Sign language translator at Nelson Mandela's memorial was a FAKE | Mail Online