A fake sign language interpreter took to the stage during Tuesday's memorial for anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela. While dignitaries addressed the crowd he produced a series of hand signals that meant absolutely nothing.

It was a shameful moment says sign interpreter Abraham Maripane

(SOUNDBITE) (English) SIGN INTERPRETER AND TRAINER, ABRAHAM MARIPANE, SAYING:

"When I saw this, I actually felt very upset and I felt I wanted to go to the event and chase the interpreter off the stage, the memorial service of Madiba is such an important event and we feel embarrassed and the whole world was looking at us and it's serious."

DeafSA, South Africa's leading deaf association, condemned the presence of the unknown man.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) OFFICIAL SOUTH AFRICAN SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER AT DEAFSA, DELPHIN HLUNGWANE, SAYING:

"He got many things wrong, actual he got zero percent accuracy, if you do a comparison of what was said and what he was signing, ze