Master’s-degree student Sibongile Dlaba’s innovative research on healthcare incident reporting won her an award at the 5th African Nursing Conference.

“Being named the winner of the Best Oral Presentation award at a continental conference was an incredibly humbling and empowering experience,” says Dlaba, with her voice filled with emotion after her remarkable achievement.

The North-West University (NWU) recently hosted a series of International Flag Day events across its three campuses, turning lecture halls and student centres into spaces of colour, pride and global unity.

Held on different days at the Mahikeng, Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark campuses, the celebrations brought together students, staff and international guests in a shared spirit of cultural exchange and mutual respect.

North-West University (NWU) Mahikeng Campus lecturer Emile Coetzee has been accepted into the South African Academy for Arts and Sciences (Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns), an organisation dedicated to supporting and strengthening work in the sciences and arts completed in Afrikaans.

“It was a long journey for me to reach a point where I could be accepted into the academy. It took me over a decade to achieve. I had to increase my number of publications and become more active in my field of research,” Coetzee said.

Correctional Services Minister, Dr Pieter Groenewald, recently stated his intention to deport foreign criminals in South African jails back to their countries of origin. The Minister said that about 26 000 foreigners are either serving sentences in South African prisons or are awaiting sentencing. This places a massive burden on taxpayers, equating to R463 per day for each incarcerated foreigner, or around R11 million per year. With a target set for 2026, Minister Groenewald also acknowledged that a number of legal constraints must be addressed before the deportation process can begin.

In a world where innovation meets wellbeing, Chantel Muller is proving that the two can powerfully coexist. A published author and senior lecturer in marketing research and sports marketing at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus, Chantel is redefining how technology can transform health — and she’s doing it from right here at the NWU.

Neighbours share more than fences, and neighbouring countries more than borders. This is especially true for the relationship between South Africa and Botswana. In the theatre of southern African politics, South Africa and Botswana share more than just a 2 000 km border: they share intertwined fates.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) third annual Vice-Chancellor’s Science Day on 6 August in Kuruman once again brought science out of the laboratory and into the community.

Kicking off the proceedings, NWU astrophysicist Prof Thebe Rodney Medupe led teachers and learners from local schools in a stargazing workshop.

North-West University (NWU) academics Prof Kgaugelo Lekota from the School of Biological Sciences and Prof Lebo Gafane-Matemane from the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) were recipients of Research Excellence Awards for Early Career/Emerging Researchers at the 2025 National Research Foundation (NRF) Awards.

The North-West University (NWU) left it until the 89th minute to earn a valuable away draw against the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in the opening round of the 2025 Varsity Football season.

Playing under chilly skies in front of a packed UJ Stadium on 7 August 2025, the home side struck early. UJ’s Thabo Moshikere tapped in from close range after a well-placed free kick was headed into his path by Yasidu Lifa. The early goal gave UJ the momentum as they went into halftime leading 1-0.

South Africa's bold economic reform initiative, Operation Vulindlela (OV), is gaining momentum as it enters its second phase. Government officials are promoting significant progress in tackling the deep-rooted issues holding back the country’s economy.

The programme focuses on improving key services like electricity, water, transport, and digital communications, essential building blocks for a strong economy.