Newsroom - Potchefstroom Campus

Sexism and sexual harassment are major challenges for women entrepreneurs

Although entrepreneurship has its own challenges, women face additional obstacles that are unique to them. On paper South Africa has some great opportunities for female entrepreneurs, but in reality numerous economic, social and cultural obstacles affect women and their businesses.

According to a study conducted by Refiloe Moetsi, a North-West University (NWU) MBA graduate, sexism, sexual harassment, marital complexities, self-esteem issues and a lack of business knowledge are some of the problems women experience.

Submitted on Fri, 10/22/2021 - 12:56

NWU graduate makes waves globally

Shaun Frazao, a North-West University (NWU) graduate and chief strategy officer of Wavemaker South Africa is heading to London as strategy partner at Wavemaker Worldwide.

Wavemaker is one of the five largest media agency networks in the world, with clients such as L'Oréal, Paramount Pictures, Xerox, Colgate-Palmolive, Netflix and British Airways.

Submitted on Wed, 10/20/2021 - 07:19

Study into large-scale potential to store renewable hydrogen

Power fluctuations sometimes associated with renewable energy resources could become a thing of the past through research under way at the North-West University (NWU) on new and better ways to store hydrogen.

The HySA Centre of Competence (Coc) at the NWU explains the storage problem as follows:

Electrical energy produced from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar is used to generate hydrogen through the process known as water electrolysis.

Submitted on Tue, 09/21/2021 - 11:38

Theology for the world

Diversity is the bedrock of the North-West University (NWU) and faith is a pillar of strength for many within the NWU and to billions of people around the globe. The Faculty of Theology has again shown that diversity and faith go well together by producing exceptional PhDs at the first PhD graduation ceremony of 2021.

Submitted on Mon, 09/20/2021 - 11:31

Wasps zoom in on metal contamination

Wasps are often viewed as pests but they can play a huge role in the ecosystem, from pollination to being a link in the food chain. North-West University (NWU) master’s student Yasfir Tarif Nadat is now undertaking a study to show how wasps can be indicators of pollution.

His study is inspired by a paper he and a team of researchers from the NWU, Linköping University and the University of Zimbabwe worked on. The team included Prof Henrik Kylin, Dr Rudo Sithole, Velesia Lesch and the NWU’s Prof Henk Bouwman.

Submitted on Mon, 09/20/2021 - 10:56

Mines are contaminating useful plants in Limpopo

Chromium from mining activities has been found in high concentrations in plant species commonly grown in household gardens in Sekhukhuneland, Limpopo, representing a potential health hazard.

These are some of the findings of Sutapa Adhikari, a doctoral student from the North-West University (NWU), who has been studying the contamination of food and medicinal plants by chromium (Cr) and platinum mine dust in Sekhukhuneland.

Submitted on Fri, 09/17/2021 - 13:31

It’s time to put environmental regulations to work

With calls for safer, cleaner environments, a North-West University (NWU) researcher suggests that local governments use and enforce existing environmental regulations to ensure a better quality of life for all.

Maricélle Botes, part of the research team at the Faculty of Law's South African Research Chair in Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability (CLES), says that while regulations and instruments are available, they are not being utilised.

Submitted on Fri, 09/17/2021 - 09:46

Flexibility and staying positive are key to boosting tourism

A North-West University (NWU) academic at the School of Tourism Management is calling for fresh and innovative thinking to boost the local tourism sector, which has declined by almost 80% since 2019.

Prof Peet van der Merwe says there has recently been a slight increase in international visitors to South Africa, but nowhere near the volumes needed to boost tourism.

Submitted on Tue, 09/14/2021 - 11:36