She will star in an upcoming theatre production based on the life and times of the late great singer Miriam Makeba and The Manhattans.
The production will run from 9 December at the Soweto Theatre and, speaking at the launch, Mmatema said she is honoured to have been offered the role.
"I had to do a lot of research on her and I'm currently reading a book she wrote, My Story, and I'm also learning the deep IsiZulu accent in which she spoke," she said.
While Mmatema admits singing is her first love, she says she's always had a keen interest in pursuing a career in show business, particularly acting. "What I remember about Miriam is her soul and that she was a fighter. According to the book I'm reading, she never allowed rumours to stop her from doing what she loved – she was a strong woman," she said.
Mmatema adds that when she was offered the role, she simply couldn't resist portraying the icon's life. The star says she's pursuing acting full-time and will feature in SABC2's upcoming drama series in a lead role, but remains tight-lipped on details about her character and the name of the drama.
"For now all I can say is that the drama will hit the small screen in February next year and I play the lead role," she offered.
