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,…

NWU excited about first VC’s Science Day

The North-West University (NWU) is gearing up to host the first Vice-Chancellor’s (VC’s) Science Day at Mabeskraal near Rustenburg in the Moses Kotane Municipality on 31 July 2023.

According to the NWU’s principal and vice-chancellor, Prof Bismark Tyobeka, this event serves as a platform for fostering partnerships and collaboration…

South African tourism: This is how we get back on our feet

The Covid-19 pandemic has left an indelible scar on the face of South Africa’s tourism sector, and although cosmetic touch-ups have restored some of its previous splendour, some extensive surgery is still required to get it back to rude health.

According to Prof Elmarie Slabbert, director of the research unit Tourism Research in…

Another accreditation accolade for the NWU’s School of Accounting Sciences

The School of Accounting Sciences at the North-West University (NWU) has once again distinguished itself as an indisputable leader in its field with the recent announcement by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) that the school’s Bachelor of Commerce in Financial Accountancy has been accredited for the purposes of SAICA…