The government should ensure the unification of South African sign language to reduce problems in interpretation, the ANC Youth League said on Thursday.

"The ANC Youth League, therefore, calls on all our people to unite and support the deaf," spokesman Bandile Masuku said.

This follows an interpreter's misinterpretation of various speeches delivered at the memorial service of Nelson Mandela,

"Even the rules of the democratic South African parliament accommodate sign language interpreters. Thus it is our considered view that the South African government will never intentionally disempower the deaf people of South Africa," Masuku said.