YOUTUBE comedy site This is Genius has created a spoof translation of the sign language used at the Nelson Mandela memorial by a fake interpreter.

The man who translated addresses from key world figures into sign language at the Nelson Mandela memorial has been exposed as untrained and merely flapping his arms.

The massive glitch in the important occasion has caused embarrassment across South Africa and anger among the deaf community.

As the sombre speeches were made, the man stood sincerely "translating", only he wasn't signing in any discernible language.

As the service was broadcast around the world, Twitter came alive with complaints, including one from Wilma Newhoudt-Druchen, the first deaf woman to be elected to the South African parliament. 

"The so called interpreter on the stage with Cde Cyril is not signing. He's just making up. Get him out of TV sight," she tweeted.

Another tweet came form national director of Deaf Federation of  South Africa


By this morning the YouTube clip had appeared and was quickly gaining traction.