Hamas attack on Isael: What does this mean for South Africa?

Crude oil prices are set to skyrocket after the attack on Israel. Israel is going to retaliate with full force. The attack has massive global implications.

On Saturday, 7 October, southern parts of Israel suffered a surprise attack on an unprecedented scale by Palestinian military group Hamas, leaving a wake of destruction, with more than 700…

In a struggling economy, market to Millennials or miss out

Their pockets help fuel our economy and their spending habits determine the success of many business endeavours. They were born between 1981 and 1996, they are called Millennials and, according to Prof Roland Goldberg from the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the North-West University (NWU), retailers would be remiss to ignore…

Nigeria is facing an impending implosion

Contrary to the general belief that Nigeria is the giant of Africa, incessant violence and armed conflicts have drastically reduced the influence of Nigeria on the continent. Despite its huge resources, the country still suffers from poverty, inequality, unemployment, insecurity, corruption, high fuel and commodity prices, and other political and…

Exotic pollen attacks are on the rise, causing serious allergies

As winter ended and spring entered with sunny pleasantness, thousands of “attackers” sprang into action to plague the part of the population that suffers from allergies and hay fever.

According to Prof Frank Neumann, subject chair for geology and soil sciences at the North-West University’s (NWU's) School for Geo- and Spatial Sciences,…

This is why Cape Town is ruling the tourism roost

Ensuring tourists feel safe – and are safe – plays an integral role in ensuring Cape Town and the Western Cape’s success as a tourist destination. Other cities and regions would be wise to follow Cape Town and the Western Cape’s tourism blueprint. Local governments and tourism authorities should work with the private sector as a thriving tourism…

Africa’s stomach is empty and the hunger is growing

The continent is ravaged by a host of factors inhibiting food security and is trapped in what a recent report by the World Bank calls “the perfect storm”. Its consequences are disastrous. The Covid-19 pandemic was followed by the war in the Ukraine, which has led to severe food and fertiliser shortages. Now, Africa is in the midst of a tempest…

Prof Bismark Tyobeka: Africa needs to make use of the global sports stage

The IRB Rugby World Cup (RWC) kicks off on Friday, 8 September when the host nation, France, takes on three-time champions New Zealand, as these sides clash in Stade de France, Saint-Denis. As always, the world will be watching. The previous tournament – which South Africa won – was held in Japan in 2019 and was the most-watched rugby event in…

Home-grown vaccine demonstrates 100% protection against tuberculosis

In an intriguing joint announcement, the Walter Sisulu and North-West universities unveiled the astounding results of their preclinical trials for a groundbreaking combination vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) and Covid-19. The universities reported an unprecedented 100% protection in vaccinated animals – a significant step forwards in the…

NWU’s Prof Bismark Tyobeka: We need to invest in nuclear expertise, or lose it

The global energy dependency clock is ticking, and in South Africa it is doing so at a dizzying pace. What started as an impending energy crisis more than a decade ago has morphed into a situation that can only be described as akin to an irrevocable catastrophe. According to Prof Bismark Tyobeka, principal and vice-chancellor of the North-…

NWU Vice-Chancellor’s Science Day: Empowering young minds

The North-West University (NWU) hosted its inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Science Day on 31 July 2023 at Mabeskraal near Rustenburg as part of National Science Week.

This landmark event served as a platform for fostering partnerships and collaboration among educational institutions, government departments, private companies, communities,…