Veteran singer Yvonne Chaka Chaka arrived back in the country from Davos, Switzerland yesterday - fresh from accepting the World Economic Forum's Crystal Award last month.

The 47-year-old, dubbed the "Princess of Africa", received the award during the opening ceremony of the forum's annual meeting in Davos in the Swiss Alps.

The Umqombothi singer pitched at her arrival press conference at the Southern Sun Hotel, at OR Tambo International Airport, with her husband Mandlalele "Tiny" Mhinga, and wept when she was welcomed by hotel staff singing her popular songs, including Makoti.

Chaka Chaka explained that she was surprised at the welcome she received because many South Africans did not know about her humanitarian work over the past eight years.

"I never thought that I would be nominated, or even win this, so it's been a great pleasure to know that someone is watching [my efforts]," she said.

"I'm thankful South Africa can see the work that I've been doing."

Chaka Chaka was quick to make it clear that she was not doing her philanthropic work for kudos.

"What I do is for the people who need me the most," she said.

Already a goodwill ambassador for the UN's Roll Back Malaria Partnership, Chaka Chaka picked up the prestigious gong for her services to humanity, especially in the fight against malaria, said the World Health Organisation.

Previous winners of the Crystal Award - given to celebrities who "improve the world through their work" - include US music producer Quincy Jones, actor Richard Gere, Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour and Grammy-winning French-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma.

Chaka Chaka admitted she had been "ignorant" about the disease until it struck close to home.

One of her backup singers, Phumzile Ntuli, died of malaria in 2004, prompting her to research it.

Chaka Chaka revealed that a follow-up to her 2007 album, 18/28, which was produced by two of her children, (who call themselves Chaka-Mingz) is close to being completed.

She told The Times that she was waiting for a response from U2 lead singer Bono about getting together with him for a duet.