SA’s lockdown exit strategy to level 2 is good news for the country

The widely expected and welcome decision announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa to move South Africa’s lockdown down to Level 2 is good news for the country, says NWU Business School economist Prof Raymond Parsons.

According to him, the prolonged lockdown since March has had a devastating economic impact on incomes and livelihoods.…

A global assessment of the impact of Covid-19 on the manufacturing sector

“The outlook for the manufacturing sector seems uncertain due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

Prof Danie Meyer, a development economist and director of the TRADE research focus area at the North-West University (NWU), says besides external factors such as international demand, internal factors such as limited electricity supply and…

Teachers without Borders inspire a new generation of scientists

The year 2020 will probably be remembered in history books for the Coronavirus and the Covid-19 pandemic that brought the entire world to a standstill. Suddenly many people learned about viruses, and how they differ from bacteria.

The unseen world of microbiology became part of our daily routines, with social distancing and sanitising…

New director takes the helm at SADiLAR

The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources, SADiLaR, on the campus of the North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom, has a new centre director. Prof Langa Khumalo will take the reins from 1 August. SADiLar is a research infrastructure funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) as part of the South African…

Early childhood development rises from the (tr)ash

It is a fact that many children find themselves in barren school classes and playgrounds because their parents, educators and caregivers are often unaware of the importance of providing opportunities for purposeful play in the early years.

Fortunately, researchers from the North-West University (NWU) are joining forces with…

Putting edible insects on the menu

While many people cringe at the thought of consuming bugs, entomophagy – the term for eating insects – has been practised for hundreds of years in South Africa.

In the North West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga, flying ants, grasshoppers, mopane worms, African metallic wood-boring beetles and edible stinkbugs are delicacies.

However…

IMF loan goes wider than just helping the budget

“The welcome special loan facility from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help South Africa deal with the socio-economic impact of Covid-19 goes wider than just helping to balance the budget.”

Prof Raymond Parsons, well-known economist and academic from the NWU Business School, says that – as was widely expected – the IMF has…

The plastic problem: NWU researchers highlight major data gaps

Our oceans are choking on plastic debris. In fact, marine plastic debris is one of the most pressing environmental concerns facing the world today, with devastating effects for both humans and the environment.

But just how big a culprit is South Africa?

Prof Henk Bouwman, from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of…

New lichen species discovered

Prof Stefan Siebert from the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management at the North-West University (NWU), together with academics from various American universities, recently described two new lichen species, the first discoveries of its kind in three decades. Lichens are a complex life form that is a symbiotic partnership between two…

The cut in interest rates is good, but more would have been better

The further 25 basis-point cut in interest rates is positive, but 50 basis points would have been better. This is the view of Prof Raymond Parsons, well-known economist and academic from the NWU Business School.

“The decision by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to cut interest rates by another 25 basis points is broadly in line…