At 52, Yvonne Chaka Chaka shows no signs of slowing down. She literally lives out of a suitcase as she is constantly travelling on goodwill ambassadorial duties.

If not on planes, then she is darting across Gauteng as a judge on the new talent show I Can Sing. Chaka Chaka is on the panel with kwai-jazz maestro Don Laka and young blood Jesse Clegg to find the best singers and give them a shot at the big time.

I ask her if she's not tired yet. "God is good. He's given me the strength and energy to carry on. So I will carry on for as long as God gives me strength," she replies.

Chaka Chaka does, however, admit that the biggest downside is being away from her family for long periods, although her sons are now adults.

"I do try to strike a balance. I like what the Pope said that 'we are not perfect families'. I try to be a full-time mother when I can. For example, in December I don't take jobs. It's time for my family. My boys are big but they are not here, this weekend I only saw Themba, while Mpfumo, Mandla and Ningi were not there. The only person I feel sorry for is my husband Tiny. It's a pity we don't have grandchildren because he would be such a great grandfather."

She was called to join the I Can Sing panel, a project by entrepreneur Innocent Mabuza. They have already been to Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Pretoria and wrapped up the Vaal on Sunday.

"It's a great concept. The talent is amazing. We don't criticise, we just listen. After Alexis Faku has done the prejudging, he refers the hopefuls to us."

In a few days the nine contestants from the four regions will go to boot camp.

"Attitude is important. You may not be a good singer but with a good attitude we can make you a singer. Most of the contestants sang local songs. It showed that when children repeatedly hear the music of Brenda, Yvonne, Amanda Black, Naima Kay and Vusi Nova they will like it. It takes me back to the 90% quota, it works."

This week Chaka Chaka is in Rwanda where she will address heads of state on the Global Fund in her capacity as founder of Princess Africa Foundation and UN goodwill ambassador.

Just last week she says she was at the World Bank Spring Meeting with finance ministers from all over the world.

"I didn't even see [Malusi] Gigaba, but I shared the podium with ministers from Nigeria and Guatemala."

Her foundation does projects that impact on malaria and HIV/Aids. She is also a member of the Global Alliance of Vaccines and Immunisation and the Roll Back Malaria project. Next week, she will address the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

Does music still serve any purpose with so much activism taking up her time? "If I wasn't a musician the UN would not have known about me. I'm a musician at heart. It keeps me sane, expands my horizons, makes me aware of issues in the world and social injustices."