Mainstream radio combined with social media can do more to preserve South African indigenous languages than either can on their own

A recent study by North-West University (NWU) master’s graduate Gofaone Motsamai explores how Motsweding FM radio is using Facebook to promote Setswana through podcasts and live streams.

“Motsweding FM is not just broadcasting, it’s preserving,” says Gofaone. “Through Facebook, the station connects Setswana speakers across borders, offering accessible and engaging content that supports linguistic and cultural continuity.”

The recent announcement by Cameroon’s 92-year-old President, Paul Biya, that he will seek re-election has reignited debates around prolonged leadership in Africa. Biya, who has been in office for 43 years, would be nearing 100 should he complete another term, making him one of the oldest and longest-serving leaders on the continent.

North-West University (NWU) academic Thabang Motswaledi from the School of Government Studies says Biya’s announcement reflects a larger governance issue in Africa.

By Gofaone Motsamai

There is more to being a spokesperson than issuing press statements; it is a role that demands speed, the ability to manage crises under pressure and, above all, honesty and integrity. This was the core message shared by North-West University (NWU) communications alumni at a seminar hosted by the university.

Cardiovascular diseases remain among the world’s leading killers, but everyday foods like rooibos tea and broccoli may hold the key to protecting the heart, according to new research from the North-West University (NWU).

This was the core finding of the PhD study of Dr Sinenhlanhla Xoliswa Happiness Mthembu, who explored plant-based compounds that could help counter heart damage caused by metabolic disorders.

Languages clash, blend and connect users across the North-West University (NWU) Mahikeng Campus Updates Facebook Group, revealing how multilingualism drives communication in a digital student space.

Ontiretse Motingwa, an NWU graduate, led a study that examined how language choice, ethnicity and power relationships influence communication patterns on the NWU Mahikeng Campus Updates Facebook Group. The group, moderated by NWU students, functions as a platform where members post, comment and engage in various languages, including indigenous ones.

Feed costs are exceptionally high in the broiler chicken industry, prompting farmers and researchers alike to find ways to reduce the cost of feed without compromising bird health. Dr Makiwa Simeon Mthana, a North-West University (NWU) animal science graduate, has come up with a potential solution that uses mushroom biotechnology to enhance the nutritional utility of soyabean replacements.

While coal continues to dominate the energy mix of both South Africa and Zimbabwe, the two countries have begun introducing legal frameworks that signal a shift. The question that North-West University (NWU) researcher Tariro Mary Tingini set out to answer is: How ready from a legal and policy perspective are South Africa and Zimbabwe to make this shift, and how do their legal frameworks compare?

By Gofaone Motsamai

In public clinics across the North West Province, healthcare workers share limited resources and juggle growing patient numbers – all while trying to meet the standards of the Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance (ICRM) programme.

Introduced in 2013, the programme is a national strategy aimed at improving service quality in public primary health care (PHC) facilities and is part of the national Department of Health’s plan to roll out National Health Insurance (NHI).

By Gofaone Motsamai and Phenyo Mokgothu

Using indigenous languages to communicate health information could significantly improve breast cancer awareness among African women.

“Health information in the local languages not only enhances understanding but also increases trust in the messages being delivered,” says Dr Evaristus Adesina and Prof Abiodun Salawu of the Indigenous Language Media in Africa research unit at the North-West University (NWU).

They hardly put a foot wrong. With flair and dazzling dance performances, the Dance Sport team of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus has successfully defended their title as University Sports South Africa (USSA) Dance Sport champions.

The NWU team of 20 athletes competed against dancers from 13 South African universities in a tournament hosted by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Westville Campus in Durban from 28 June to 3 July.