Oldrin Masowa

Local libraries often do not have the means to acquire much-needed computers and books on a regular basis. Staff of the North-West University (NWU) Library and Information Service (LIS) in Potchefstroom saw this need and reached out with a generous donation to the JB Marks community libraries.

Louise Vos, LIS senior manager, says the donation on 15 August consisted of 10 computers and nearly 800 books.

Prof Lebo Gafane-Matemane, an associate professor of Physiology at the North-West University (NWU), is paving the way for the next generation of researchers by carving new paths in cardiovascular health research.

Prof Gafane-Matemane, who carries out her research activities as part of the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) and the Medical Research Council Research Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular disease, is making waves in her field. 

Gender Awareness Week (GAW) has become an integral part of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) strategy of promoting diversity and inclusivity among students, staff, and other stakeholders.

GAW takes place from 8 to 12 August 2022, with activities, sessions, and presentations focusing on creating awareness and discussing issues such as gender and identity in diverse contexts. This year’s theme centres around the arts.

Dr Adri du Toit, a member of the research unit for Self-directed Learning, was recently elected as managing president of the South African Association of Family Ecology and Consumer Sciences (SAAFECS) for a period of two years.

This was announced at the bi-annual General Meeting of the SAAFECS organisation, which was part of the SAAFECS Conference.

The famous French fashion designer Coco Chanel said to be irreplaceable, one must always be different and that was definitely the case when Dr Anja Erasmus received her PhD in Environmental Science on 29 July 2022. She stood out by wearing a dress with her research printed on it.

Her journey at the NWU started in 2012 where she enrolled for her BSc degree in Tourism, Zoology, and Geography. She went on to obtain her Honours degree in Biodiversity and Conservation Ecology in 2015 and her Master’s degree in Environmental Sciences in 2017.

The story of Dr Elfas Torerai is a classic case of focus, determination, persistence and success personified. He started off as a rookie journalist, plying his trade in community newspapers. Before long, he joined the mainstream media where he rose to become the provincial correspondent of the now defunct The New Age/AfroVoice.

In between the tight deadlines, he pursued an LLB degree at Unisa, and graduated in 2018.

Ontiretse Motingwa

North-West University (NWU) Prof Ferdinand Potgieter, a professor and sub-area leader for discipline in the research unit Education and Human Rights in Diversity (Edu-HRight), recently received notice of his C2-rating as an established researcher from the National Research Foundation (NRF).

Alarming atrocities are perpetrated against our most vulnerable and innocent citizens, our children. We hear of these every day, but how often do we reflect on the scourge of child labour? There will be no child labour when laws that govern access to basic education are strengthened.

It is time to buck the dusky trend. The national energy provider, Eskom, is haemorrhaging money at an unsustainable rate and is nearly R400 billion in debt. Equipment is failing, power outages have become the norm, while its energy availability factor (EAF) has fallen by almost 30% in just over a decade.