Restriction strategy allows SA valuable time to prepare – NWU virologist

As South Africa prepares to ease restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of Covid-19, a North-West University (NWU) virologist, Prof Albie van Dijk, shares her views on the country’s fight against the pandemic.

Prof Van Dijk is a lecturer and researcher in the Biochemistry subject group at the NWU’s campus in Potchefstroom, and…

New NWU voice for popular radio programme

The North-West University has for years been an informative and entertaining presence on the very popular weekly environmental radio programme, Omgewingspraatjies. This tradition continues with a new expert following in the footsteps of his NWU colleagues.

Ruhann Steyn, a researcher and lecturer who is currently also busy with his…

Connecting to ignite a growth revolution in Africa

Why try to reinvent the wheel when others are facing similar challenges and together you could succeed in “connecting to ignite a growth revolution”?

This was the thinking of the team of researchers from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Optentia research focus area who visited Namibia to foster relationships with government, business,…

The relationship between gender-based violence and HIV/Aids

The link between gender-based violence (GBV) and HIV/Aids is usually rooted in the power imbalance between men and women.

This was one of the findings of research conducted by Goitseone Leburu, whose master’s and doctoral studies, both from the North-West University (NWU), revolved around different aspects of GBV.  

Her…

Social media now a field for serious research

While some people might think the social media field is purely for popular consumption, it has become a separate field of study for research in its own right.

Prof Wian Erlank of the Faculty of Law at the North-West University (NWU) says much has been written about the sociological and even psychological aspects of social media,…

Nothing artificial about their expertise

A small research group at the North-West University (NWU) is starting to attract real interest for their work on artificial intelligence (AI).

“The amount of interest has come as something of a surprise,” says Prof Marelie Davel, who – with PhD student Tian Theunissen – recently travelled to New York, USA, to present their latest findings at…

Ramaphosa’s additional anti-Covid-19 economic package is a substantial raft

‘President Cyril Ramaphosa’s additional economic support package to address the fallout on the economy from Covid-19 represents a highly substantial raft of measures designed to assist distressed businesses, households and individuals, adding up to about 10% of South Africa’s GDP.”

This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a well-…

Life goes on, death happens: loss and grief in a time of Covid-19

Across the world the Covid-19 pandemic has changed our assumptive worlds drastically, yet life continues to happen. Babies are born, people develop health conditions that are not related to Covid-19, others reach milestone birthdays, while others die.

Dr Nelia Drenth and Prof Alida Herbst of the NWU’s School of Psychosocial Health…

NWU student brings hope during lockdown through song

Vivien Redelinghuys, a second-year BA sociology and labour relations student at the North-West University (NWU), became an overnight sensation after going viral on social media.

Vivien and a family friend, Anthony Hattingh, posted a video of themselves singing their new single, Hallelujah of Hope, inspired by Jeff Buckley’s…

Our hope lies in the power of our people

There is a saying in Tibetan: “Tragedy should be utilised as a source of strength. No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.”

This quote by the Dalai Lama XIV has perhaps never been more fitting than in the turbulent times in which we find ourselves today. When one…