It’s time to recognise waste pickers

They are a sight common in South Africa as they scavenge landfills and go through bins in suburbs, business and industrial districts. Yet little is known about the role waste pickers play in the economy.

Sights set on shedding light on the factors that enable waste pickers to make a living, Professor Derick Blaauw of the Faculty of…

A South African web-based platform for speech transcription

With 11 official languages in South Africa, finding an effective yet affordable way to transcribe speech to text was never going to be easy, but that is set to change with some innovative thinking from researchers who are creating an open source web-based platform for speech transcription.

Researchers from North-West University’s…

Metals in bird eggs a source of concern in Orange River catchment area

The heron that laid the golden egg? Scientists from the North-West University (NWU) have found several metals and metalloids in bird eggs in the catchment area of the Orange River which could pose a potential health risk to humans.

Prof Henk Bouwman from the Faculty of Natural Sciences says this study was part of a larger project to…

Survivor to thriver: creating a brighter future for victims of sexual abuse

The heart-wrenching reality of childhood sexual abuse is a global scourge which two researchers from North-West University (NWU) are tackling by assisting survivors to deal with their trauma and thrive.  

The worldwide prevalence as measured in 22 countries indicates that 18% to 20% of girls and 8% to 9% of boys have to cope with this trauma…

NWU Colloquium on Internationalisation and Social Cohesion

The Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) recently hosted a colloquium with the theme “Internationalisation and Social Cohesion”, with a specific focus on the social and institutional experiences of international students and minority students.

Facilitated by Prof Lumkile Lalendle, vice-rector, the colloquium took its…

Has SA reached the ceiling for tax collection?

The court of public opinion has it that the 2017 Budget Speech represented a contractionary budget with increased taxes and with lower levels of incentives for economic activity.

In light of this, Prof Danie Meyer and Dr Andre Mellet from the North-West University’s Vanderbijlpark Campus (NWU) and experts in local economic development (LED…

9 000 inquisitive minds explore Science Centre

Few would say no to a journey of discovery that is not only education but also a great stress reliever. It should come as no surprise then, that the North-West University's (NWU's) Science Centre on the Potchefstroom Campus has seen a spike in visitors in the past year.

School visits where learners are taken on a journey of discovery…

Technology-enhanced learning to benefit both student and institution: TELIT-SA

Researchers within the new research focus area of the North-West University (NWU), TELIT-SA, is hard at work to not only vest the entity but also to expand its reach and impact. TELIT-SA focuses on the theory and practice of learning technologies across an array of disciplines in higher education. In short: a dedicated focus on the practice of…

Manufacturing sector not out of the woods yet – Dr Andre Mellet

The South African Economy showed negative growth in the final quarter of 2016. This negative growth can be contributed to the decline in two sectors, namely: mining and manufacturing. During an interview with RSG, well-known economist, Dr Andre Mellet from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus, commented on the negative…

NWU academic presents inaugural lecture on micro-econometric modelling

Prof Abayomi Samuel Oyekale from the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) kick-started the first of six inaugural lectures for the 2017 academic year on 14 March 2017 with his lecture “Micro-econometric modelling in applied economic research: The pains, pitfalls and paradoxes”.

In this lecture, Prof Oyekale – who’s…