Mandela memorial sign language 'fake' blames schizophrenia for his nonsense interpretation Interpreter at memorial said he may have suffered episode on stage Thamsanqa Jantjie said he started hearing voices in his head during event He has apologised and said he did not know what triggered attack It has been claimed he repeatedly used words 'prawns' and 'donkeys' A South African sign language interpreter accused of making up his own signs during a memorial to Nelson Mandela has said he may have suffered a schizophrenic episode on stage. The interpreter, identified as Thamsanqa Jantjie, 34, said he started hearing voices in his head and hallucinating, resulting in gestures which made no sense during the memorial, which was watched by millions of TV viewers across the globe. Mr Jantjie has apologised for the incident and said he did not know what triggered the attack, saying he took medication for his schizophrenia. The sign language interpreter at Nelson Mandela's memorial accused of being 'a fake' has said he may have suffered a schizophrenic episode on stage Mr Jantjie, speaking at his home in Bramfischerville, South Africa, on Wednesday, has said he started hearing voices in his head and hallucinating, resulting in gestures which made no sense He told Johannesburg's Star newspaper: 'There was nothing I could do. I was alone in a very dangerous situation. I tried to control myself and not show the world what was going on. I am very sorry. It's the situation I found myself in.' Viewers saw Mr Jantjie interpreting on Tuesday at the Mandela memorial attended by leaders from around the world, but South Africa's leading deaf association yesterday claimed he was a fake and said he was inventing signs. However, in a radio interview Jantjie said he was happy with his performance at the memorial to the anti-apartheid hero, who died a week ago aged 95. He told Talk Radio 702: 'Absolutely, absolutely. I think that I've been a champion of sign language.' The controversy has come during South Africa's 10-day farewell to Mandela, whose remains were lying in state for a second day on Thursday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where he was sworn in as the nation's first black president in 1994. Mr Jantjie has apologised for the incident and said he did not know what triggered the attack, saying he took medication for his schizophrenia According to The Sun, Twitter users with sign language knowledge claimed the interpreter repeatedly used signs for 'donkey', 'lightning bolt' and 'prawns'. Eye Witness News meanwhile has reported trained sign language trainers said he also made reference to 'rocking horses', although much was incomprehensible. A hunt for the interpreter was sparked yesterday following the revelations about Mr Jantje's unconventional gestures. The government, which was in charge of the mass memorial, said it did not know who he was, as did the ruling African National Congress (ANC), even though footage from two large ANC events last year showed him signing on stage next to Zuma. Mr Jantjie said he worked for a company called SA Interpreters which had been hired by the ANC for Tuesday's ceremony at Johannesburg's 95,000-seat Soccer City stadium. He told the radio station: 'Absolutely. That's what happened.' The death of Nobel peace laureate Mandela triggered an outpouring of grief and emotion - as well as celebration and thanksgiving - among his 53 million countrymen and millions more around the world. His body will lay in state for a third day on Friday before being flown to the Eastern Cape, where it will be buried on Sunday at his ancestral home in Qunu, 450 miles south of Johannesburg.