Msokoli Frans Baleni (born 1959 or 1960)[1] is a South African businessman and former trade unionist who was general secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers between 2006 and 2015.
[4][5][6] He was a founding member of the National Union of Mineworkers in 1982,[7][8][9] and the next year was elected a shaft shop steward at Western Holdings mine in Welkom.
[8] [I]t does become problematic... when it serves as an umpteenth example of the notion that NUM and Baleni in particular are seemingly more comfortable in the company of business than the workers they represent.
"[10] Stephen Grootes writes that Baleni "almost epitomised 'union establishment,'"[20] and, similarly, Raphaël Botiveau says he "embodies the ideal type of the 'trade union executive.
[34][35][36] Although Baleni supports state intervention in strategic economic sectors, he is opposed to nationalising the mines – according to the Mail & Guardian, on "pragmatic" grounds.
[38] In 2011, he was rumoured to be a potential candidate for the next general secretary of COSATU, when Vavi was believed to be stepping down, although left-wing critics objected to his perceived sympathy for the government's economic policies.
[39] The result of the vote was described as unexpected,[15] and local commentators viewed it as reflecting a shift of momentous significance, with journalist Max du Preez calling it "a political earthquake.
"[41] Local commentators believed that the expulsion of Vavi and Numsa had been the decisive issue in the leadership contest – Sipunzi was notably more sympathetic towards them than Baleni.
In December 2018, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed him to the Eskom sustainability task team, which reviewed the turnaround plan and long-term strategy of the public power utility.