Mahikeng Campus News
How second-hand clothing paved the way for senior lecturer’s career
By Gofaone Motsamai
The road from Kagiso, where she sold second-hand clothing under the scorching Gauteng sun, to the lecture halls of North-West University (NWU) was long, bumpy and deeply personal for Dr Salphinah Vuloyimuni Ubisi.
Now a senior lecturer in the subject group Public Administration and Local Government at the NWU, Dr Ubisi’s story began in hardship and determination. “The money generated from selling old clothes became my main source of income and this provided the core finance for my studies.”.
Her entry into the jumble sale… Read more
Student runs minicab business while studying
By Gofaone Motsamai
A social sciences and economics student at North-West University’s Mahikeng Campus is balancing the demands of academic life with running a minicab business.
Maano Rambwa, now in his final year, ventured into entrepreneurship in 2023 when he launched Candy Corner, a small business…
NWU alumnus finds footing in pro football as Durban City FC’s conditioning coach
A former NWU Soccer Institute player, Michael Radebe has made the transition from the pitch to the training room, now serving as strength and conditioning coach at Durban City Football Club. The club was recently promoted to the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL).
“Studying sport science at NWU laid a good foundation for my…
How to unlock the job market for IKS graduates
In the corridors of higher learning, indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) has emerged as a growing academic discipline. But in the job market, its graduates often meet closed doors and puzzled employers. A new study by a recent NWU PhD graduate, Dr Mamello Anna Hlabe uncovers the disconnect between the classroom and the labour market and the…
Decoding hidden signals of brown fat in obesity
When brown fat cells start sending the wrong signals, the body’s energy balance can shift in unexpected ways, which is bad news for people living with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Dr Khanyisani Ziqubu, a PhD student from the North-West University (NWU), set out to investigate how brown fat behaves in obesity and whether plant-based…
Study finds crop rotation boosts soil health
Farmers looking to improve soil health and crop yields may find a solution in crop rotation, according to a study by North-West University (NWU) researchers. The study, published in the International Microbiology Journal, reveals that the rotation of crops leads to a more diverse and beneficial microbial community in soil.
Researchers…
Animal nutritionist explores the effects of marula seed cake on chicken production and meat quality
Zibukile Gcinile Mchunu, a North-West University (NWU) master’s graduate from Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal, conducted a study examining the effects of dietary inclusion of marula seed (kernel) cake on productive performance, health, gut metagenomes, and meat quality of indigenous Boschveld chickens.
She was supervised by Dr Doc Mthiyane from…
Hybrid workers need to rekindle the human connection
The academic workplace is no longer defined by shared offices and hallway conversations. As hybrid work becomes the norm, one researcher argues that the shift may be eroding the very ties that keep academic communities functioning.
“Academics are often isolated in their work, and hybrid work has amplified that,” said Dr Rudo Rachel…
Alumnus co-edits landmark books on indigenous knowledge systems
By Mokgothu Phenyo and Motsamai Gofaone
Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) are receiving growing academic recognition as a valid and valuable body of knowledge. An important factor in this is the contribution of scholars such as Dr Monicca Thulisile Bhuda, an alumnus of the North-West University (NWU).
…
What Google Maps and churches have in common when it comes to lifelong learning
By:Mafumane Tlhapi and Phenyo Mokgothu
The offline mode of Google Maps became more than a navigation tool when Pastor Piet Tlhabanyane, from Bethesda Kingdom Ministries (BKM), an NWU alumnus and a Council member, used it to explain the risks of outdated knowledge in church leadership.
“Without regular…
How second-hand clothing paved the way for senior lecturer’s career
By Gofaone Motsamai
The road from Kagiso, where she sold second-hand clothing under the scorching Gauteng sun, to the lecture halls of North-West University (NWU) was long, bumpy and deeply personal for Dr Salphinah Vuloyimuni Ubisi.
Now a senior lecturer in the subject group Public Administration and…