The Jewish community threw me out for the Tegeta saga

JOHANNESBURG – Former Eskom board member Mark Pamensky said he was kicked out of the Jewish community because many believed he was involved when Tegeta fired Glencore as owner of Optimum Coal Mine.

He concluded another session at the state capture commission where he denied advising the Guptas based on inside information from Eskom.

Pamensky has denied helping the Guptas get the R2.1 billion fines imposed on the Optimum Coal Mine dropped.

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Pamensky told the state capture commission that he was already a member of the board when he emailed the Guptas congratulating them on the Optimum Coal Mine acquisition.

But he said he had no inside information because, as a board member of Gupta-owned Oakbay Resources and Energy, he had recused himself from all of the power company’s coal acquisition decisions to manage the conflict of interest.

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In his email, Pamensky said he would meet with the Guptas anywhere in India or Dubai to discuss their transaction, but maintained that he did not disclose inside information to them.

“I have waited five years to explain those emails, they have criticized me, they have kicked me out of the Jewish community in these emails. People think I was involved in this transaction. I’ve never been involved in this transaction, so at least I had a chance to introduce myself and tell it all today. “

Pamensky admitted that he advised the Guptas not to finalize the deal unless it was clear that they would not be responsible for the fines imposed by the power company.

But he said all that information he knew from the media, not from Eskom.

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