The complex world of autists

Autism is a diverse neuro-developmental condition that is characterised by challenges with communication, social interaction and repetitive behaviour. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents with various subtypes that relate to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Researchers are also investigating phenotypes relating to brain…

How the pandemic is affecting children’s health

South African children will miss two or more months of school this year due to the lockdown, and are therefore missing out on school sport, while other physical activities are also limited to a large extent. This inactivity, coupled with eating patterns linked to life under lockdown, could have unwelcome effects on children’s health.

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Exports and the coronavirus: South Africa in a catch-22 situation

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted all components of the economy – all sectors in terms of demand and supply, employment, investment, growth, confidence and exports.

An economist from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) says exports are critical for economic growth and are recognised as…

Well-being, performance and the challenges of modern life

 Is there really a problem?

The benefits of exercise, a healthy diet and a balanced lifestyle are undisputed in modern life, and the positive impact these have on well-being and performance is no secret.

Yet obesity and weight problems have reached epidemic proportions globally. According to the World Health…

Lockdown offers challenges to autists

 “The current coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have disrupted routines unexpectedly and overwhelmingly. This has caused concern across the world about the impact on the mental health of not only adults, but also of children.”

Hanlie Degenaar, a senior speech-language therapist at the Institute of Psychology and…

The new (unfamiliar) world of work

The world of work after the Covid-19 pandemic will differ from the one we are used to. This is the opinion of Prof Bennie Linde, a professor in labour relations at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School for Industrial Psychology and Human Resource Management in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences.

Prof Linde predicts…

Make your CV stand out

Since the lockdown commenced, a number of businesses have had to close indefinitely, leaving thousands of South Africans unemployed. With so many people in the job market, jobseekers have to find new ways to stand out from the crowd.

Dr Peet Roos, Ms Suzanne de Swart and Mr Mphinyana Nemasitoni from the Career Centre at the North-…

Face masks for a great cause

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Ofentse Rabaji has truly proven how one man’s waste can be another man’s treasure.

The 27-year-old who holds a master’s degree in environmental management, has been making face masks for the less fortunate, by using scrap cotton fabric.

Ofentse also sells these masks to members of the…

The men who shaped the NWU’s Varsity Cup teams

A rugby fraternity is a band of like-minded brothers, a group of men and women who believe that no inch should be yielded in pursuit of winning the game. There are the custodians of the game, the administrators and the various specialists employed to ensure that this goal is reached.

However, none are more in the spotlight than the…

Further cut in interest rates is another valuable mitigating step

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) cut the repo rate by another 50 basis points on 21 May. Prof Raymond Parsons, well-known economist and academic from the NWU Business School, says this underscores the South African Reserve Bank’s (SARB) resolve to provide the necessary monetary support in light of the economic impact of the prolonged…