School indemnity forms – who is truly accountable?

The tragedy that befell Parktown Boys High School pupil, Enoch Mpianzi, has left the nation in disbelief. Parents all over the country are not only concerned about sending their children on school excursions, but also who will be held accountable if they sign indemnity forms.

Dr Cecile Eloff, an educational law lecturer at the North…

Is the South African economy facing recession-inflation?

At the start of 2020 the South African economic outlook seems dire. According to economist Prof Danie Meyer, director of the TRADE research focus area at the North-West University (NWU), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates that economic growth will be set at below 1% for the year.

Prof Meyer, together with Roan Neethling,…

Hypertension is clouding the joys of childhood

Childhood is normally associated with health, playfulness and a phase in life without worries or fear. However, this ideal definition of childhood is becoming cluttered with unwanted risk factors linked to the early development of cardiovascular disease, especially in South Africa.

Global data on the prevalence of high blood pressure…

Brexit implementation: Possible implications for South Africa

“Although the implementation of Brexit tonight, 31 January 2020 obviously marks an historic fork in the road in the economic relations between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (UE), not much will change in the immediate future.”

This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, a well-known economist and academic from the…

What's with the all the flies and mosquitoes?

Over the past few months, many South Africans have wondered why there is an excessive amount of mosquitoes and flies in their homes.

Prof Johnnie Van den Berg, a professor at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Unit for Environmental Sciences, explains where all the flies and mosquitoes are coming from.

He says the drastic…

Supercharging their careers – the NWU way!

The end of January saw the start of many aspiring MBA students’ journey to success when the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Business School once again hosted a very successful Summer Study School in Potchefstroom.

An exciting and insightful five-day programme was presented from 27 to 31 January to approximately 170 students in their…

Emotional and psychological effect of crime is complex

The crime figures that Statistics South Africa released during 2019 paint a grim picture. Most South Africans live in fear, not knowing if they will fall prey to criminals. Victims of violent crimes not only lose their material possessions, but can also suffer significant emotional and psychological trauma.

However, hard as it might be to…

NWU student brings hope to community cattle farmers

A North-West University (NWU) PhD student has spent the last six years studying how the occurrence of reproductive conditions in cows can be prevented, thereby improving the fortunes of communal cattle farmers.

Keitiretse Molefe will graduate at the campus in Mahikeng in April 2020, and feels blessed to have been part of the research…

Game on: puzzle video games may grow critical thinking skills

The notion that playing video games is for the intellectually idle is widely held but might not be accurate. Research suggests that certain types of game play can in fact strengthen a range of cognitive, critical thinking and reasoning skills, according to Dr Byron Bunt of the North-West University’s (NWU) Faculty of Education.

These…

Optentia to host second Stats Camp South Africa

During 2019 the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Optentia research focus area made history by hosting the first-ever Stats Camp South Africa. In 2020 they will yet again step into the fore and present this internationally recognised educational event.

The four-day analysis retreat will take place during the last week of April 2020 and aims…