UBaleka Mbete owazalwa ngomhla ka-24 Septhemba 1949 eThekwini, wayengowesifazane wokuqala ukuqokwa njengoSihlalo Kazwelonke we-ANC kanye nomgqugquzeli wamalungelo abesifazane. UMbete wakhula eyintombazane endala emndenini wezingane eziyisishiyagalombili. Ukulindelwa kwale ndima kwakha izimfanelo zobuholi obusafufusa. Ekhuthazwe ngabesifazane empilweni yakhe, okungugogo wakhe nonina, wancela amandla abo azowasebenzisa kamuva empilweni.
Uqale umsebenzi wakhe wokufundisa eThekwini lapho asheshe waqala khona ukuzibandakanya ezinhlanganweni ezihambisana ne-Black Consciousness. Wabe esesungula ukuxhumana nezinhlaka ezingaphansi komhlaba ze-African National Congress. Ethandwa ngumfowabo ukuthi ashiye izwe, waya ekudingisweni eSwazini. Ngemuva kokufundisa izikhundla e-Tanzania na-seKenya, wahamba waya eBotswana lapho aqala khona ukusebenza kwakhe ne-ANC kulawo mazwe.
Ngemuva kwesikhashana ese-Zimbabwe kwathi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi waya e-Zambia, wabuyela eNingizimu Afrika ngo-1990. Engqungqutheleni yokuqala kazwelonke ye-ANC Women’s League, wakhethwa njengoNobhala-Jikelele. Usebenze njengoSomlomo weSishayamthetho Sikazwelonke seNingizimu Afrika esadlula ubandlululo kusukela ngo-2004 kuya ku-2008 futhi njengePhini likaMongameli waseNingizimu Afrika kusukela ngo-2008 kuya ku-2009. ukukhululwa kwabesifazane. Namuhla, uyaqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe wokweseka abesifazane abazisulu futhi ebanxusa ukuba balwele amalungelo abo. Wayengu Somlomo wePhalamende Likazwelonke laseNingizimu Afrika kusuka ngonyaka ka-2014 kuya ku-2019.