In a world where software runs hospitals, banks and transportation, who or what ensures it doesn’t fail?

This was the central question posed by Prof Bassey Isong from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences during his inaugural lecture on 7 August 2025 at North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus.

The lecture, titled “The silent sentinel: Machine learning’s role in securing and ensuring reliable software systems”, unpacked the potential of machine learning to strengthen the reliability and security of digital systems.

By: Keaoleboga Motshabi

A donation drive turned community outreach effort by the Lost City Residence at the North-West University (NWU) Mahikeng Campus has left a mark on Golfview’s Legae Child Care Centre.

The initiative, led by Community and Stakeholder Engagement officer Malaika Machimana and inspired by house parent Prof Sonia Swanepoel, focused on connecting the residence to the surrounding community through action.

By: Keaoleboga Motshabi

Students turned the campus lawn into a trading ground of ideas and innovation. The North-West University (NWU) Mahikeng Campus Student Campus Council (SCC) hosted a Market Day near the Great Hall on 26 July 2025. The event brought together student entrepreneurs and the broader campus community through a mix of stalls, e-games and live entertainment.

A powerful collaboration involving academia, industry and water authorities is helping to inspire future generations of scientists and engineers in the rural village of Disaneng in the North West Province.

The partners, who conducted a high-impact outreach at two secondary schools on 29 July 2025, were the Nano-Environment Incubation Programme at the North-West University (NWU), the Northern Provinces Branch of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa (IMESA), and Magalies Water.

In a gym-turned-arena in the North West Province, 17 student-athletes from the North-West University (NWU) stepped forward one by one, each bringing months of repetition, routine and self-control to the spotlight.

Competing against 54 of the province’s best, they left with 21 trophies, one overall title and 11 invitations to the national stage.

Representing the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus, the team competed in the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) North West Provincial Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships on 2 August 2025.

David Magae – a seasoned communicator whose career spans the broadcasting, local government and water utility sectors, is a proud alumnus of the North-West University (NWU). He is a leading voice in communication and public engagement, and an inspiring mentor to future professionals in the field.

Despite his many responsibilities as senior manager for communication and media relations at Magalies Water, David makes time for mentorship. “The mentors who took the time to shape and guide me made such an impact. That experience inspired me to pay it forward.”

By Gofaone Motsamai

From the village of Leshobo in Taung to the corridors of leadership in the Free State’s Department of Agriculture, Ntombana Dlanga’s life story is one of effort, purpose and the impact of education.

Born and raised in a household led by a single mother who worked as a nursing assistant, Ntombana’s dreams of higher education seemed out of reach after she matriculated in 1997. “There was just no money for university,” she recalls. “So, I went into what I knew – hustling.”

The North-West University (NWU) continues its commitment to inclusivity and support for students with disabilities, with the official handover of newly renovated, state-of-the-art offices to the Disability Rights Unit (DRU) on the Mahikeng Campus.

The handover ceremony, held on 21 July, homed in on the daily challenges of students living with disabilities.

By Gofaone Motsamai and Keaoleboga Motshabi

Final-year students at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus were challenged to think beyond graduation during a public lecture hosted by the Humanities Student Academic Chapter.

The event took place on 24 July 2025, and brought together current students and NWU alumni working across different sectors to share their personal experiences and highlight the importance of planning, networking and mentorship.

Byline: Keaoleboga Motshabi

Bonolo “Miss Faith” Monaisa has transitioned from the student-run studios of NWU FM to the national platform of Motsweding FM, where she now serves as a content producer for SABC Educational Programmes.