What happens when tax law allows one person the final say? A new study investigates how discretionary powers granted to the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) under the Value-Added Tax (VAT) Act affect both taxpayers and the principle of fairness in tax administration.
Byline: Mafumane Tlhapi and Nikelo Mehlomakulu
In the same lecture halls where many first discovered their calling, B.Ed graduates of the North-West University (NWU) gathered once again. This time, not as students, but as teachers united by a shared purpose.
On Thursday, 4 July, the NWU Mahikeng Campus hosted a reunion for B.Ed alumni, transforming the university’s education block into a space for connection, reflection and future planning.
On the fields where they once chased goals, a new group in Mahikeng is now learning how to shape them. The North-West University (NWU) Soccer Institute hosted the South African Football Association (SAFA) D Licence coaching course from 30 June to 6 July 2025, training aspiring coaches in the principles that guide youth and amateur football development.
As foot-and-mouth disease continues to threaten the livestock industry, students from the North-West University (NWU) will be taking a stand on whether or not it should be compulsory for farmers to vaccinate their animals against the disease.
Two teams of NWU animal science students will be tackling this and other topics during the 55th Annual South African Society for Animal Science (SASAS) Student Quiz and Debate Competition, taking place from 8 to 10 July 2025.
Persons with disabilities in Malawi may be tuning in to community radio, but their political voices are not adequately covered.
A recent study led by Dr Muyanga Ziba has raised questions about the role of community radio in promoting the political participation of persons with disabilities in Malawi. Using Mzimba Community Radio Station as a case study, the research found that while general programming for people with disabilities exists, there is no dedicated content focused on political engagement.
By Gofaone Motsamai and Nikelo Mehlomakulu
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean, serving as a lifeline for international trade and transport. South Africa is a key player in the 23-country Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the North-West University (NWU) is an integral part of the IORA Academic Group, which promotes collaboration among universities, governments and communities in the region.
Leaky, dilapidated water lines are being replaced at the North-West University (NWU) to reduce water losses and conserve water more effectively. One such rehabilitation project is under way at the Mahikeng Campus.
What was once a neglected water system is now central to the university’s Waterwise Project, as it forms the backbone of a new plan to treat, distribute, and monitor clean water on campus.
Waterwise is a long-term infrastructure overhaul aimed at saving, cleaning and recycling water, and making the university water resilient.
By Gofaone Motsamai and Nikelo Mehlomakulu
It was not just a gathering; it was a breaking of the silence around men’s mental health struggles. On 26 June 2025, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus became a space where men exchanged ego for honesty, and bravado for openness.
The NWU alumni men’s mental health workshop brought together graduates, professionals and mentors for a conversation about what it means to be a man in a society that teaches boys to hold back pain.
Prof Olubukola Oluranti Babalola from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Microbiology subject group recently visited the National Potato Innovation Centre in Scotland. She delivered a seminar on her pioneering research into rhizosphere microbiomes and their role in developing sustainable agroecosystems.
By Gofaone Motsamai
Concerns over cost, access and digital readiness dominated discussions at a seminar on the feasibility of introducing electronic voting (e-voting) in South Africa hosted by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).