Fake sign interpreter admitted to hospital

Thamsanqa Jantjie

Thamsanqa Jantjie

Published Dec 19, 2013

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Botho Molosankwe

JOHANNESBURG: Thamsanqa Jantjie, the man who made world headlines with his sign language efforts at the Nelson Mandela memorial service at FNB Stadium last week, has been admitted to Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital.

Jantjie’s signing drew a lot of complaints from legitimate organisations such as DeafSA, which argued that Jantjie was not properly qualified.

The story grew more complicated when it was discovered that Jantjie was mentally unstable, reportedly with a history of violent outbursts.

His explanation, when later questioned, was that he had suffered a schizophrenic episode. In a television interview, his wife showed a bag full of the medication he takes for his condition.

On Tuesday, Siziwe Jantjie took her husband to Sterkfontein Hospital in Krugersdorp for a check-up. It was suggested that he be admitted immediately.

“The past few days have been hard. We have been supportive because he might have had a breakdown,” Siziwe said.

Jantjie was supposed to have gone to Sterkfontein on December 10 for a check-up. When he was offered the job to interpret at the memorial, Siziwe called the hospital on his behalf and asked that he be given another date.

When news of Jantjie’s fake interpretation broke the day after the memorial service, The Star, the Cape Times’ sister publication, tracked him down to his home in Braamfischerville, Soweto. He explained that he suffered a psychotic episode while on stage. “I saw angels falling on the stadium. I heard voices and lost concentration.”

Jantjie said he was given the memorial day gig by South African Interpreters. Its owner, Bantubahle Xozwa, refused to be drawn on the matter.

Xozwa told a weekend paper that what was already in the public domain was all he was willing to speak about. “I am not going to give more information, I don’t think there is more.”

While many got to know Jantjie as a fake interpreter, to others he was a “prosecutor” who was well versed in the law.

A police officer in Braamfischerville who has known Jantjie for years said Jantjie told him that he was a prosecutor at Boksburg Magistrate’s Court. The officer, who did not want to be identified, said Jantjie used to say he knew the legal process well and advised people.

It was because of this information that Elliot Nhonho, the officer’s neighbour, approached Jantjie for help in claiming from the Road Accident Fund in June last year.

When Nhonho went to Jantjie’s house, he was impressed. “He was wearing a lawyer’s gown and said he was an advocate. He even showed me pictures of him and President Jacob Zuma and asked me whether I had seen him in Mangaung doing sign language interpretation,” he recalled.

Jantjie allegedly said he would charge R2 500 a day and he would be done in four days.

Nhonho said he got a bank loan and paid Jantjie R5 000. Things did not go as planned and Nhonho demanded his money back. He never got it and eventually went to the Small Claims Court for help.

The Star is in possession of the letter from the court, which Nhonho was unable to serve on Jantjie. “He never opened the door,” he said. Nhonho was at the memorial service last week when he saw Jantjie’s face on the big screen.

Siziwe said she knew nothing about this. She said other stories circulating about her husband’s alleged crimes were a lie.

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