Johannesburg: The man accused of faking sign interpretation while standing alongside world leaders like US President Barack Obama at Nelson Mandela's memorial service said today he saw "angels" at the event, has been violent in the past and suffers from schizophrenia.
Thamsanqa Jantjie said in a 45-minute interview with The Associated Press that his hallucinations began while he was interpreting and that he tried not to panic because there were "armed policemen around me".
He added that he was once hospitalized in a mental health facility for more than one year.
Jantjie, who stood gesticulating three-feet from Obama and others who spoke at Tuesday's ceremony that was broadcast around the world, insisted that he was doing proper sign-language interpretation of the speeches of world leaders.
But he also apologized for his performance that has been dismissed by many sign-language experts as gibberish.
The statements by Jantjie raise serious security issues for Obama, other heads of state and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who made speeches at FNB Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg's black township.
The ceremony honored Mandela, the anti-apartheid icon and former president who died on December 5.
"What happened that day, I see angels come to the stadium... I start realizing that the problem is here. And the problem, I don't know the attack of this problem, how will it come. Sometimes I get violent on that place. Sometimes I will see things chasing me," Jantjie said.
"I was in a very difficult position," he added. "And remember those people, the president and everyone, they were armed, there was armed police around me. If I start panicking I'll start being a problem. I have to deal with this in a manner so that I mustn't embarrass my country."
Asked how often he had become violent, he said "a lot" while declining to provide details.
Contacted by telephone today by AP, SA Interpreters, the organization that reportedly hired Jantjie to do the sign language interpreting at the memorial, declined to comment.
Thamsanqa Jantjie said in a 45-minute interview with The Associated Press that his hallucinations began while he was interpreting and that he tried not to panic because there were "armed policemen around me".
He added that he was once hospitalized in a mental health facility for more than one year.
But he also apologized for his performance that has been dismissed by many sign-language experts as gibberish.
Advertisement
The ceremony honored Mandela, the anti-apartheid icon and former president who died on December 5.
Advertisement
"I was in a very difficult position," he added. "And remember those people, the president and everyone, they were armed, there was armed police around me. If I start panicking I'll start being a problem. I have to deal with this in a manner so that I mustn't embarrass my country."
Advertisement
Contacted by telephone today by AP, SA Interpreters, the organization that reportedly hired Jantjie to do the sign language interpreting at the memorial, declined to comment.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Joe Biden Goes From Star To Sideshow At Democratic Convention US Approves Sale Of 600 Patriot Missiles To Germany US Delegation Led By Top Diplomat Richard Verma To Visit India Tomorrow How Extreme Weather Is Leading To Rise In Child Marriages In Pakistan Who Is Jasveen Sangha, "Ketamine Queen" Charged With Matthew Perry's Death "Probably First Time Since '87/88...": Omar Abdullah On J&K Poll Dates Trump-Musk Chat Shows Innovation Alone Can Save Legacy Media Mob Sets Cars On Fire After 15-Year-Old Stabbed Inside Udaipur School On India-Bangladesh Border, A Strip Of Land Where Laws Of Both Apply Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.