Student leader fights to save young men from the streets

Lethabo Sebola is carrying the weight of a mission far bigger than himself – fighting to rescue young men from hopelessness, crime, depression and social neglect.

Lethabo is a student at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus, where he is currently pursuing an honours degree in industrial psychology. He is also the…

NurseLead: A groundbreaking initiative to transform nursing leadership in South Africa

Prof. Siedine Coetzee and Dr Mirriam Matandela

A powerful new chapter in South African nursing leadership began on 5 and 6 May 2026, when the National Department of Health and the North-West University (NWU) officially initiated the groundbreaking NurseLead programme – a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to…

The NSFAS Crisis: When leadership ignores evidence

The tragedy of the NSFAS story is that it reflects more than an institutional crisis; it reflects a deeper tension in public leadership in South Africa. NSFAS has grown from a support mechanism into the dominant driver of higher education spending. The most disturbing dimension of the NSFAS crisis is the erosion of ethical leadership.…

GIS outreach initiative turns classrooms into real-world mapping labs

An annual Geographic Information Systems (GIS) outreach programme is transforming how Grade 12 learners understand geography, shifting it from a textbook subject to a hands-on, technology-driven discipline with real-world relevance.

Led by senior lecturer Dr Nisa Ayob, the…

Visually impaired student graduates cum laude

From dropping out of university twice to graduating cum laude, visually impaired student Raphael Sambo has turned a once-fractured academic journey into a story of distinction.

Raphael earned his postgraduate diploma in management from the Faculty of Economic and Management…

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…

Academic appointed ICOPH 2026 country coordinator

The appointment of North-West University (NWU) academic Dr Mpho Chipu as country coordinator for the International Conference on Public Health (ICOPH) 2026 is set to strengthen the presence of South Africa in global public health discussions.

Dr Chipu, a senior lecturer in the School of Nursing at the Mahikeng Campus of the NWU, will be…

Ranking places researcher third in neuroscience in South Africa

The 2026 edition of the ranking of the Best Scientists in Neuroscience by Research.com places Prof. Brian Harvey from the subject group Pharmacology at the North-West University (NWU) among the three most cited researchers in the field in South Africa.

Prof. Harvey says this accolade highlights his decades of work in neuropharmacology…

Alumnus turns life journey into book on purpose and faith

Pastor Sandiso Likhuleni, an alumnus of the North-West University (NWU), has launched a new book that draws on his experiences as a student leader, social worker and pastor to guide young people searching for purpose and direction.

Sandiso, who studied towards a Bachelor of Social Work degree at the university from 2013 to 2016 and…

Tourism growth places focus on jobs, trade and policy, expert says

Africa's Travel Indaba 2026 is being held in KwaZulu-Natal from 11 to 14 May, drawing participation from more than 22 African countries. Attention is squarely on tourism’s role in driving jobs, trade and economic growth across South Africa and the continent.

Prof. Elmarie Slabbert, research director of Tourism Research in Economics,…