Franco taking student life in his stride

It was love at first sight. Boy meets campus. In 2019, Franco van Dijk visited the North-West University (NWU) campus in Potchefstroom as part of a tour by his school choir.

“We saw a lot of the campus – it almost felt like an open day. I really liked what I saw and decided that this was where I wanted to go,” says Franco, who…

Young entrepreneur takes haircare products to the world

For this young woman entrepreneurship is a way of life. North-West University (NWU) master’s student in chemistry, Paula Maseko, recently started her own business by producing and selling haircare products.

Paula, who hails from Lonelypark in Mahikeng, started her business in 2020 in her mother’s garage. With a few pots, bowls, a hand…

NWU’s IKS Centre collaborates with Wits University to explore indigenous palaeo-knowledge

The Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) Centre of the North-West University (NWU) has partnered with Wits University to do palaeontology research along the Karoo Basin.

The IKS Centre team comprises Prof Simeon Materechera, a senior professor and research leader for the NWU team, and Otsile Maditsi, a lecturer at the centre. They are…

Stellar Adele runs star-making Two Oceans

Bertie Jacobs

In winter, the San Gabriel Mountains, speckled with flecks of snow on its slopes and blankets of white on its peaks, can be seen from the city of Rancho Cucamonga in California. In 1979, musician Jake Hamilton was born here.  

The NWU’s people-centred approach to community engagement during the Covid-19 pandemic

Phenyo Mokgothu

On 22 March 2022, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced what was essentially the end of the country’s lockdown or state of national disaster almost two years since it was imposed. This is an opportune time to look back on…

NWU’s Facing Race Week a huge success

By Zenoyise John

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Facing Race Week (FRW) took place from 11 to 14 April 2022, and brought together staff and students to talk about racial inequality and to educate one another on issues of racial discrimination.

During the hybrid event,…

NWU academic weighs in on prospects and challenges of District Development Model

Phenyo Mokgothu

North-West University (NWU) academic in the subject group Developmental Studies, Gaopalelwe Mpolokeng says the success of the government’s District Development Model (DDM) lies in cooperation.

 Approved by the South African cabinet on 21 August 2019, the DDM is a government approach to…

Playoffs a bridge too far for Eagles

Bertie Jacobs

Valiant effort. A very valiant effort, boys. The North-West University (NWU) Eagles came agonisingly close to reaching the Varsity Cup playoffs, beating Wits 31–3 on a soaking wet Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds pitch on Monday 11 April. Although…

FIH Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup a huge success

Bertie Jacobs

The Netherlands won, but hockey triumphed. When the final whistle blew on Tuesday, 12 April, it was the Dutch fans who cheered and the players clad in orange who celebrated as the Netherlands beat Germany conclusively 3–1 in the final of the FIH Women’s Hockey Junior World Cup at the Astroturf of…

New grant to target global killer

Bertie Jacobs

Malaria is a global killer, a disease that destroys human lives and the economies of countries in which it thrives.

According to the latest figures by the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 241 million cases of malaria in 2020, with an estimated 627 000…