NWU expert calls for better professionalisation of the SAPS

South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU) has seen the majority of its ministries experiencing a change in leadership, with the Ministry of Police now being led by Minister Senzo Mchunu, with deputy ministers Cassel Mathale and Polly Boshielo. It is a new dawn and, according to Cobus Steenkamp, a lecturer in Police Practice at the North…

The North-West University keep the Fourth Estate ablaze

You do not pick fights with people who buy ink in barrels. This saying used to ring true when printed newspapers ruled the news roost. But, with bandwidth having replaced the aforementioned barrels, is there still a future for journalists in the traditional mould?

This issue was further compounded when Media24 recently announced that it…

How technology and community involvement can bridge the gap between communities and legal aid

When seeking legal assistance, community members often face significant barriers owing to inadequate financial resources. One way to connect members of the public with legal services is to use online channels.

This is one of the possible solutions outlined in the research work of Prof Lusanda Beauty Juta, acting deputy director of the…

Another academic announced as a M&G 200 Young South African

The North-West University (NWU) boasts another winner of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans for 2024.  Dr Pieter Odendaal, a senior lecturer in the subject group Creative Writing, was announced a winner in the Arts and Entertainment category.

He joins Dr Monray Williams, a senior lecturer in the subject group Biochemistry…

The Faculty of Humanities: fostering engagement and social change

The Faculty of Humanities (FHUM) at the North-West University (NWU) has an approach to education that goes beyond textbooks and lectures. Here, students and staff embark on a journey that not only sharpens their minds but also nurtures their hearts, fostering a sense of responsibility towards creating a better world. Through engaged research,…

A wish list for Dr Pieter Groenewald, the new Minister of Correctional Services

Dr Casper Lötter, a conflict criminologist affiliated with the North-West University’s (NWU) School of Philosophy, gives his wish list for what the new Minister of Correctional Services, Dr Pieter Groenewald, can do to improve the country’s correctional services system.

“It is indeed a wonderful time to be in criminology when the…

SADiLaR celebrates PhD aimed at improving Sesotho learners' reading skills

A former high school teacher's quest to improve the poor reading ability of learners in low-resource languages has resulted in a groundbreaking PhD. Centered on the development of a means to measure text readability while developing digital language resources for Sesotho, this research is the first of its kind and will also serve as a model for…

First-of-a-kind study measures children’s utterances

A study published by the Child Language Development Node of the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) at the North-West University (NWU) is the first of its kind to measure children’s utterances in isiXhosa, Sesotho, Setswana and Xitsonga.

The research team, led by node manager and principal investigator Prof…

Subject group History hosts insightful pre-conference presentations

The subject group History at the North-West University's (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus recently hosted a series of insightful postgraduate history presentations, serving as a rehearsal for the upcoming South African Hydrological Society (SAHS) Conference set to take place from 26 to 28 June at the University of Johannesburg.

The event…

SADiLaR director elected as Zimbabwean fellow

The executive director of the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR) at the North-West University (NWU), Prof Langa Khumalo, has been elected as fellow of the Zimbabwe Academy of Sciences (ZAS).

Founded in 2003, the ZAS recognises and promotes outstanding science through election to membership, and this process…