NWU vice-chancellor, Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, pleads for aligned academic hospital in North West

NWU vice-chancellor, Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, pleads for aligned academic hospital in North West

Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), has lauded Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s announcement that plans are in place to add to the country’s ten academic hospitals.

Minister…

Musician-turned-professor makes a masterpiece of his inaugural lecture

The concert hall was silent. When the words came, they came almost reluctantly. “Here I am, having to give a lecture,” said Prof Piet Koornhof, a violinist. “I would much rather perform music. So, I shall do both.”

With that, Prof Koornhof from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Music set the tone for an inaugural lecture…

Human Movement Science students contribute to National School Sport Championships

The involvement of students from the North-West University's (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus in the recent National School Sport Championships marks another significant milestone in the university’s growing partnership with the North West Provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

Six Human Movement Science students provided practical…

Study examines legal frameworks for just energy transition in SA and Zimbabwe

While coal continues to dominate the energy mix of both South Africa and Zimbabwe, the two countries have begun introducing legal frameworks that signal a shift. The question that North-West University (NWU) researcher Tariro Mary Tingini set out to answer is: How ready from a legal and policy perspective are South Africa and Zimbabwe to make…

Ideal Clinic implementation could go more smoothly if practical issues are addressed

By Gofaone Motsamai

In public clinics across the North West Province, healthcare workers share limited resources and juggle growing patient numbers – all while trying to meet the standards of the Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance (ICRM) programme.

Introduced in 2013, the programme is a national…

Indigenous languages are key to boosting breast cancer awareness

By Gofaone Motsamai and Phenyo Mokgothu

Using indigenous languages to communicate health information could significantly improve breast cancer awareness among African women.

“Health information in the local languages not only enhances understanding but also increases trust in the messages being delivered…

Global warming places Africa’s wildlife in peril

Drought, intensified by global warming and compounded by human action, has taken a devastating toll on wildlife across Africa and the Amazon between 2023 and 2025. According to a sobering new United Nations report, animal populations are being ravaged not just by thirst and starvation, but by human intervention as…

Expert hails new malaria drug approval for newborns as turning point for Africa

Switzerland’s recent approval of Coartem Baby, the first antimalarial treatment specifically designed for newborns and very young children, is a major step forward in tackling one of Africa’s most pressing public health challenges, says Dr Fortunate Mokoena, a malaria expert at the North-West University (NWU). Developed by Novartis with support…

School of Geo and Spatial Sciences launches strategic agricultural partnership in Makouspan

By Prof Nomali Ngobese

In a landmark outreach initiative aimed at revitalising rural agricultural development, the School of Geo and Spatial Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) visited the Makouspan community near Mahikeng on 7 July 2025 to initiate strategic partnerships with local farmers across 3,800…

Mines are not legally bound to contribute to healthcare in communities, but they could do more

South Africa’s mining sector makes a significant contribution to the country's national output, employment and infrastructure. But in communities near mining operations, access to healthcare remains limited. A new study asks whether the law should do more to close that gap.

Nndwakhulu Collen Khangala, who recently completed an LLM in…