Prof Wian Erlank of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Law Faculty has been awarded a prestigious research fellowship by an internationally renowned foundation.

Even in 21st century South Africa, a constitutional democracy, forced marriage is a reality for some young girls. Ukuthwala, the customary practice where girls under the age of 18 years are abducted and married off to older men, still occurs in the rural Eastern Cape.

The social and economic impact of neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) is staggering. These diseases, which include motor neuron disease and muscular dystrophies, can cause premature death or lifelong disability and are believed to affect one in every 400 people – meaning about 20 million children and adults across the globe.

Now, more than ever, it is important to us as human beings to be happy and healthy, but the brain’s primary objective is to keep us safe. The main function of our brain is to help us survive the day and keep us alive and well from today to tomorrow, but scientists have tricks up their sleeves to enable you to be happier and enjoy life to the fullest.

Most of the assessed group of metropolitan municipalities in South Africa are not financially healthy, with only three of eight of these metros being profitable, even though there has been a general improvement in their revenue and expenditure ratios.

The widely expected and welcome decision announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa to move South Africa’s lockdown down to Level 2 is good news for the country, says NWU Business School economist Prof Raymond Parsons.

“The outlook for the manufacturing sector seems uncertain due to the coronavirus pandemic.”

The year 2020 will probably be remembered in history books for the Coronavirus and the Covid-19 pandemic that brought the entire world to a standstill. Suddenly many people learned about viruses, and how they differ from bacteria.

The South African Centre for Digital Language Resources, SADiLaR, on the campus of the North-West University (NWU) in Potchefstroom, has a new centre director. Prof Langa Khumalo will take the reins from 1 August. SADiLar is a research infrastructure funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) as part of the South African Research Infrastructure Roadmap.

It is a fact that many children find themselves in barren school classes and playgrounds because their parents, educators and caregivers are often unaware of the importance of providing opportunities for purposeful play in the early years.