The man giving a sign language interpretation to the world at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service was a fake whose gestures meant nothing, it has been revealed.

Some 60 heads of state or government will take part in the memorial service or state funeral of Nelson Mandela next week.

No striking miners will be sacked while South Africa is officially mourning the deaths of 44 men at a platinum mine, including 34 strikers shot by police, a spokesman for the presidency said today.