Two researchers from the North-West University (NWU) have received a special grant that will boost their collaborative research nationally and internationally.

They did it again! Tete Dijana and Adele Broodryk are on top of the ultramarathon world after both athletes delivered superlative Comrades 2023 performances.

Dijana won the men’s division in a record time of 5:14.01, which is the second consecutive win for the employee of Mi7, an external security service provider to the NWU, who can be found on the Mahikeng Campus when on duty.

It is a tale etched in South African athletics folklore. One-hundred-and-two-years ago, an ultramarathon was born to celebrate comradery and the indomitable human spirit in the wake of the devastation caused by the First World War.

It is an 87701 km odyssey of pain and perseverance. It is the Comrades Marathon. It again starts at dawn and ends at dusk on Sunday, 11 June and it is a showcase for the best the North-West University (NWU) has to offer.

According to Prof Raymond Parsons from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, the good news is that GDP growth of 0,4% in the first quarter of 2023, following on the revised -1,1% growth in the fourth quarter of 2022, has enabled the South African economy to avoid a technical recession – in other words, two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

Several communication practitioners from various industries attended a networking dinner for alumni of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) schools of Communication and Languages at the Capital Hotel in Melrose, Johannesburg.

With efficient, sustainable solutions needed more than ever to address global energy problems, the North-West University’s (NWU) principal and vice-chancellor, Prof Bismark Tyobeka, continues to distinguish himself as a leading nuclear expert.

Prof Tyobeka has been appointed as a member of the Nuclear Engineering Advisory Council (NEDAC) at North Carolina State University (NCSU) in the USA.

Rugby has changed. It has evolved. Take a look at some of the games in the 70s, 80s and early to mid-90s. They were a bit of a mess, weren’t they? There was little structure (not like nowadays, anyway) and it was more of a scrap than a clinical exhibition. Yes, there were some spectacular tries, but they occurred because defence players relied more on defence than on drilled-in patterns and meticulous examination of the opposition’s attacking game. Those days are over and defence coaches like Jean Tiedt of the North-West University (NWU) are revolutionising the modern game.

There is a tenacity to Vernon Paulo’s approach to rugby that is, quite frankly, scary. The soon-to-be 22-year-old dynamo of a hooker has an appetite for destruction. Just ask Ikeys scrumhalf Asad Moos who, during the Varsity Cup final between the Eagles and the Tigers, decided to test the home team’s defence with a dummy. He failed. Paulo lined him up and smashed him back with impunity. Then there is his appetite for tries. He crossed the whitewash an incredible 12 times during the tournament. For a hooker … what is that all about? Those are numbers reserved for wings.

North-West University (NWU) vice-chancellor Prof Bismark Tyobeka recently visited the Vanderbijlpark Campus to engage with student leaders from the Student Campus Council (SCC) and its substructures on the NWU’s strategy.

Student leaders were invited to share their thoughts and ideas to help shape the university strategy. This visit forms part of the multi-campus roadshows Prof Tyobeka is embarking on to gather input from various stakeholders.

By Zandile Nkosi and Belinda Bantham

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Career Centre recently hosted its annual career fair across its three campuses.

The aim of this event is to bring together students and potential employers in a centralised location to facilitate networking and information sharing, and to share recruitment opportunities.