Academic News

Former Lesotho national goalkeeper scores an NWU PhD

Former Lesotho national football goalkeeper Phoka Matete has recently scored himself a PhD in law at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) June graduations.

Phoka obtained his master’s degree in labour law at the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus in 2014 and registered for his PhD in 2015.…

Project team wants all university students to have access to indigenous African languages

University students who have a mother tongue other than English should not be at a disadvantage compared to those who do speak English at home. This is why it is important to level the language playing field.

The North-West University (NWU) is one of four tertiary education institutions in South Africa to work with three European…

NWU alumnus Ofentse Rabaji is a trailblazer

North-West University (NWU) alumnus, Ofentse Rabaji, was recently recognised by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) for being a trailblazer and innovative entrepreneur. 

In 2020 Ofentse proved how one man’s waste can be another man’s treasure by making face masks for the less fortunate, using scrap cotton fabric. He also sold…

New PhDs are music to the ears

Uncertainty reigns and doubt about the future is fostered in all but the most optimistic minds. What has remained a constant is the North-West University’s (NWU’s) superlative research output and our researchers’ indefatigable pursuit of excellence.

At the May and June graduation ceremonies, 136 PhDs were awarded, with more ceremonies…

Watch out for contaminated meat sold on the streets

The wide range of bacterial species found in ready-to-eat meat sold on the streets of Johannesburg indicates that consumers of this meat could be at risk of food poisoning.

This is according to the findings of a study conducted by Dr Mpinda Edoaurd Tshipamba, North-West University (NWU) master’s graduate in the subject group Animal…

Research looks at how interpretation affects Bible reading in Africa

The way in which Scripture is read and interpreted has a major effect on what people read in the Bible. This also determines their approach to concerning and topical issues with which the faithful struggle.

This is the focus of the research by Prof Marius Nel, research chair in Ecumenism: Pentecostalism and Neo-Pentecostalism, on the…

Middle English fires the imagination of top-rated researcher

With a B2 rating from the National Research Foundation (NRF), Prof David Scott-Macnab is the highest rated researcher currently employed in the Faculty of Humanities at the North-West University (NWU).

To receive a B2 rating, an academic needs to have published a substantial body of research in top-tier, high-impact international…

Perennial grasses are the answer for veld restoration

In a water-scarce country like South Africa with growing demands for grazing, cultivated perennial grasses could be the answer to protecting the veld and providing nutrition for animals.

“Droughts, scarcity of rain and overgrazing have caused a lot of degradation of the veld, and therefore veld restoration is a priority for farmers and…

Reshuffled cabinet is an important step in the right direction

“The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of a reshuffled cabinet on 5 August is a long-awaited important step in the right direction to help rebuild business confidence at a time when it has been badly shaken by recent events in South Africa.”

Prof Raymond Parsons, an…

The impact of Covid-19 on food security in South Africa

The devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have adversely affected all facets of human life.  These effects are felt across the globe – from health challenges leading to hospitalisation and even death, loss of income and/or employment and hunger and malnutrition, to an increase in external debt and food security challenges.