Academic examines digital political communication in African indigenous languages

A new book co-edited by Prof. Gilbert Motsaathebe, deputy dean for teaching and learning in the Faculty of Humanities at the North-West University (NWU), explores how African indigenous languages are used and represented in political communication on digital platforms.

Titled Digital Political Communication and Indigenous Languages in…

South Africans are in a suburban arms race

Violent crime in South Africa is rampant, with the country frequently ranked as one of the most dangerous in the world, as well as among the most unsafe in Africa. Citizens are afraid, and justifiably so, adapting to crime as though it is no longer temporary, but permanent. This fear has for decades quietly been redesigning suburban South…

NWU researcher to be honoured with the Jacques van der Elst Prize

Prof. Tobie van Dyk will receive the Jacques van der Elst Prize.

On 2 October, Prof. Tobie van Dyk will stand on the stage in Pretoria to receive a prestigious award in the humanities, the Jacques van der Elst Prize, presented by the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns…

Five researchers earn nominations for this year’s Science Oscars

Our researchers continue to receive national recognition for their impactful work across a wide range of disciplines. The North-West University (NWU) has five nominees for the 2025/2026 NSTF‑South32 Awards. This further affirms our standing as a contributor to excellence in science, engineering, technology and innovation in South Africa.

Trial of the century to determine who controls AI’s future

It is the battle of the billionaires as two of the most powerful heavyweights in the tech industry will step into the ring on Monday 27 April in Oakland, California, when Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman goes to trial.

The stakes for the future of the AI industry could not be higher. Musk, the founder of Tesla, Inc., SpaceX and…

Pope’s visit to Africa positions religion at centre of peace and diplomacy

Thabang Motswaledi

The ongoing African tour by Pope Leo XIV has drawn global attention, positioning the continent as a key player in international relationships and peacebuilding efforts at a time when several regions continue to face conflict, governance pressures and social divisions.

The Pope…

Indigenous languages key in fight against crime

As crime continues to ravage communities across South Africa, a North-West University (NWU) researcher has highlighted how indigenous languages play an active role in strengthening crime prevention efforts through communication strategies in rural areas.

Dr Kgomotso Bosilong, a research support coordinator at the NWU, is focusing her…

NWU hosts critical dialogue on the future of Local Government

In communities across the country, frustration is quietly building. What begins as a missed service or delayed response often grows into something deeper, a sense that the system meant to serve the people is no longer working for them. The failures of local government are no longer distant policy concerns or abstract…

Yet another Human Rights Day in Sharpeville

An opinion piece by Dr Lesiba Tumishang Ledwaba, deputy director of the School of Social Sciences and a senior lecturer in History at the NWU.

The brutal massacre of Sharpeville residents by racist, trigger-happy apartheid policemen on 21 March 1960 continues to be a part of societal discourse that highlights apartheid hegemony that was…

Trio Conference champions Afrocentric governance, multilingualism and transformation

The Riverside Hotel in Vanderbijlpark recently buzzed with intellectual energy as academics, students, policymakers and thought leaders from across Africa gathered for the North-West University (NWU) Trio Conference on Afrocentric Governance, Multilingualism and Transformation.

Over three days, participants from South Africa, Uganda,…