Potchefstroom Campus News
Madlanga Commission and IDAC testimony: Is SA witnessing the failure of leadership or the failure of its anti-corruption system?
The testimony presented before the Madlanga Commission on 29 July 2026 concerning the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), together with the resignation of its head, Adv. Andrea Johnson, should serve as a watershed moment in South Africa's fight against corruption.
Opinion piece by Dr Nkosingiphile Mkhize, a senior lecturer in the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Government Studies
Irrespective of the commission's eventual findings, the proceedings have exposed deeply troubling questions about… Read more
NWU to host Hockey World Cup in April at last
Bertie Jacobs
It is no joke. From 1 April, the North-West University (NWU) will host the 2022 Women's FIH Hockey Junior World Cup at the Astroturf fields in Potchefstroom.
This is the ninth time the event has been presented, and it would have taken place in December, but the Omicron variant of the Covid-…
Susan Cilliers: Documenting the demons
They were the twin murders that enraged a community and shocked a nation. On Saturday, 26 May 2018, 19-year-old Xander Bylsma murdered Sharnelle Hough (17) and Marna Engelbrecht (16) in their hostel in the small town of Stella.
The tight-knit farming community in North West was left…
NWU master’s student’s passion leads to book about wetlands
Kirsty Kyle, a master’s student at the North-West University (NWU), has recently published an educational children’s book and, after receiving sponsorship for the printing, donated the books to under-privileged schools.
The book, Discovering Wetlands with Piffy, Zenzi and Lucky, is…
Broad Budget speech is positive for business and consumers
“In challenging economic circumstances Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana displayed a safe pair of hands in navigating South Africa’s public finances towards debt stability and fiscal sustainability in the immediate future.”
In commenting on the 2022 Budget, which was presented on 23 February, Prof Raymond Parsons, economist from the…
NWU stargazer helps capture spectacular images of a magical cosmic “firework”
Faster than the blink of an eye, bigger than our entire galaxy and pulsating with unimaginable intensity, it is one of the most energetic cosmic events visible from earth observed and captured on record ― a shock wave that extends for 6,5 million light years.
Observing and capturing this magical “firework” in detailed images took…
Waiting times in healthcare are under the microscope
Waiting for medical treatment can be a life-or-death matter.
“Waiting times in healthcare are a significant problem that occurs across the world and often has catastrophic effects – as we have seen during the Covid-19 pandemic,” says Maria van Zyl, a lecturer in the School of Industrial Engineering at the North-West University (NWU).…
Newly B-rated researcher pursues new problems on ancient culture
Prof Jaco Gericke does not take an orthodox approach to research in his field, ancient culture, and in a sense that has sometimes counted against him. However, the tide has turned, and the fact that his work is not in the mainstream of scholarship may have proved to be an advantage. It led to the National Research Foundation (NRF) awarding a…
New species named in honour of NWU academic
According to Sir David Attenborough, who has at least 17 species named in his honour, having a species named after you is the “biggest of compliments that you could ask from any scientific community.”
Internationally acclaimed North-West University (NWU) researcher, Prof Nico Smit was recently complimented in such a way.
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#theArtofResearch – making health science more accessible
It is no secret that the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) at the North-West University (NWU) is at the forefront of in-depth research. Over the past year they have demonstrated yet again that their mission is to conduct research that could solve many health-related problems that affect young and old.
Recently, HART…
Crime and punishment, but what about rehabilitation?
The South African penal system has failed and as a result crime remains out of control. This is the harsh and uncomfortable reality that is plaguing society, and the country’s haunting crime statistics attest to that.
One reason for this is the lack of rehabilitation opportunities available to offenders. The allure of falling back in…