‘The story was not about you,’ press ombudsman tells Gupta associate

Press ombudsman Johan Retief has dismissed a complaint by Mark Pamensky, a chartered accountant implicated in state capture allegations, against a Sunday Times story on Anoj Singh’s guarantee to the Guptas.

Pamensky had written to the ombudsman to object to the story, protesting that the article would cause undue harm to his reputation and that of other board members.

“This complaint has no merit as the reportage was not likely to cause you any unnecessary harm. I am therefore dismissing your complaint,” Retief informed Pamensky on the October 20.

Among the reasons the ombudsman provided as grounds for refusing to entertain Pamensky’s complaint include:

“The story was not about you – in fact, it did not even mention your name.

“Your involvement in the decision, or lack thereof, was not material to the reportage; and

“Even if stories in other publications did mention you, that in itself would still not have obliged the newspapers to mention your comment …”

Pamensky was advised to direct his appeal, if he so wishes, to the chairperson of panels of appeals and tax ombudsman Judge Bernard Ngoepe in writing.

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