PHINDILE Baleni has been appointed the new Director-General of the Presidency and Secretary of the Cabinet, Presidency announced on Wednesday.
Baleni succeeds Dr Cassius Lubisi who retired in September 2020 after a decade as Director-General in the Presidency and Secretary of Cabinet.
Presidency spokesperson Tyrone Seale said in a statement that in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and South Africa’s pursuit of economic reconstruction and recovery, the appointment of the Director-General was vital to the functioning and impact of The Presidency at the apex of the system of government.
“The Presidency coordinates the development and implementation of government policy and engages in partnerships with all sectors of society and international stakeholders in pursuit of South Africa’s development objectives,” said Seale.
“As part of The Presidency, the Cabinet Office provides strategic and policy support to Cabinet. It implements administrative systems and processes to ensure the overall optimal functioning of Cabinet and its committees. It also facilitates the decision-making processes of the Cabinet and its Committees.”
Baleni, who joined the leadership echelon of the public service in 1994, is being transferred to The Presidency from the Office of the Premier in the Gauteng Provincial Government where she has served as Director-General since 2015.
This transfer is enabled by Section 12(3)(c)(ii) of the Public Service Act of 1994, said Seale.
Baleni is an admitted attorney and conveyancer who holds a B.Proc and an LLB from the University of the Witwatersrand.
She was appointed legal advisor to the then Gauteng MEC for Housing and Local Government from 1994 to 1996.
In 1996, she joined the City of Johannesburg where she played a strategic role in strategic planning, high-level project management and the development of local-government policy.
Baleni later joined Electricity Distribution Industry (EDI) Holdings as Chief Executive Officer and was instrumental in the establishment of regional electricity distributors (REDs) in the country.
In April 2011, Baleni was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) – a position she held until she became Director-General in the Office of the Premier in Gauteng.
She has served on the boards of the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services SETA (MERSETA), the CSIR as well as the Council of Wits University.
“President Ramaphosa has wished Ms Baleni well in her new position and has expressed his appreciation to Ms Lusanda Mxenge who has been Acting Director-General of The Presidency for several months,” said Seale.
- Inside Politics
