SONA 2026: What to expect — and what not

President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver his 2026 State of the Nation (SONA) address on Thursday 12 February, and he will do so in a world starkly different from that of a year ago. Political uncertainty, strained international relations and domestic pressures mean the president is operating in a political climate that is no longer simmering but…

Alumnus turns military discipline into academic success

By Mzwandile Ndlovu

Mphumudzeni Siphuma, a North-West University (NWU) alumnus, has swopped his military fatigues and rank for civvies and the title of lecturer in Communication, Journalism and Media Studies at the university’s Potchefstroom Campus.

His career change began in 2019 when he decided to…

Support for Groenewald and the VF Plus confirms the conjunctural and fluid nature of South African politics

An opinion piece by Dr Mabutho Shangase

There appears to be a growing trend of advocacy and political support for Dr Pieter Groenewald and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) among black users of social media platforms. Although the overall scope of the campaign has not yet been precisely defined, its presence is…

NWU alumnus honoured at Icons of Africa Awards

What began as a digital footprint in South Africa has grown into a continental voice, one strong enough to earn North-West University (NWU) alumnus John Nchoe an honorary award at the prestigious Icons of Africa Awards.

Nchoe, a social media entrepreneur who holds a BA and BA Honours in Communication from the NWU, was recognised for his…

What South Africa can learn from China’s quiet wisdom

South Africa can learn a great deal from China, not by copying its politics but by understanding how it builds relationships, trust and social harmony. That is the argument made by Dr Casper Lötter, a conflict criminologist at the North West University, who believes China’s way of thinking offers practical lessons for a deeply divided South…

Putting people at the centre of digital innovation

The Centre for Digital Humanities was born out of the realisation that the humanities are central to creating equitable digital futures for South Africans.  “As digital humanists, we understand that technology exists within a network of human and more-than-human relationships,” says Prof. Janelize Morelli.  “True digital…

Student social workers are ready to facilitate community change

By Gosego Phutieagae

When final-year social work students at the North-West University (NWU) gathered for their annual conference, their message was clear: transformation begins with small acts of service.

The subject group Social Work hosted the…

Neglect of indigenous languages amounts to a betrayal of revolutionary ideals

Prof Gilbert Motsaathebe

Once seen as a bastion of multiracial, multicultural and multilingual values, South Africa now stands accused of turning its back on the very linguistic and cultural diversity that made it a symbol of unity.  This was the cautionary message from Prof Gilbert Motsaathebe, a…

Optentia Research Unit launches ground-breaking short courses for support staff

The Optentia Research Unit at the North-West University (NWU) has officially launched two innovative hybrid short courses designed to build mentoring capacity and strengthen professional development among university support staff. These short courses, which were developed and presented in collaboration with People and Culture at the NWU,…

Tri-campus triumph for the Industry Summit of the School of Communication

The second annual Industry Summit of the School of Communication brought together nearly 600 students across the North-West University (NWU) campuses in October 2025, marking a significant milestone in Prof Lida Holtzhausen's vision to connect communication students directly with industry leaders.

Under the theme “Fool-proofing yourself…