The facts are irrefutable: South Africa is a country rife with corruption that is undermining our democratically elected institutions and hampering our economic growth. Corruption is not a disease in this country, it is a pandemic. But, for every disease there is a possible cure and pandemics can be curtailed. The North-West University (NWU) Business School, through its Unit for Corruption and Integrity Studies (UCIS), is endeavouring to inject some sense where sensibility has been lost.

Prof Kedibone Phago, director of the School of Government Studies at the North-West University (NWU), recently had the opportunity to attend a landmark workshop with the BRICS Research Community of Practice.

Hosted by the Pandit Deendayal Energy University in Gujarat, India, the event drew scholars from BRICS and BRICS+ nations, including South Africa, India, Russia, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia.

The workshop, themed “Energy resilience and sustainability in BRICS+ nations – a policy analysis perspective”, provided a rich tapestry of discussions and presentations.

Being appointed to the bench is the pinnacle of achievement for any legal professional, signifying the highest recognition of one’s ability and commitment to justice.  Serving as a judge in the superior courts of the country is a prestigious honour sought after by most in the legal fraternity.   

Dr Mathew Moyo, chief director of the Library and Information Service at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU), and Dr Sabelo Chizwina, director of Information and Learning Services at the Vanderbijlpark Campus, are continuing to expand the NWU’s global footprint. 

Stakeholder engagement is a crucial part of the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR)'s strategic mission. With the adoption of a new five-year strategy plan, the infrastructure is dedicated to promoting its mandate and establishing a local and global presence to attract potential partners in the domains of natural language processing and digital humanities.

Africa is facing a challenge in ensuring food security due to contamination of agricultural products by toxic fungi and their byproducts, mycotoxins, amid climate change.

This is according to Prof Mulunda Mwanza, who delivered his inaugural lecture at the North-West University (NWU) on 6 June 2024.

"Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by fungi such as Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium, which infect staple crops including maize, peanuts, wheat, rice and various tree nuts,” he explained.

Jerry Bangude knows a thing or two about getting the best out of people. Why? Because he knows how to get the best out of himself.

It is this attribute that has helped shape his career as motivational speaker and author since he graduated from the North-West University (NWU).

“I want to motivate and inspire people, and I want to help people realise their full potential. I want them to unleash their greatness within. Most importantly, I want to help people follow their dreams so that they can live a fulfilled and purpose-driven life,” he explains.

On 16 May Andrew Banda made history when he became the first graduate to receive a PhD in social sciences with a focus on ageing and development in Africa from the North-West University (NWU).

This research PhD is the product of the Optentia research unit and is a first in Africa. It is designed to cultivate a deeper understanding of ageing within the unique context of Sub-Saharan Africa. The purpose of this degree is to generate evidence, foster knowledge and catalyse transformative change in policies and programmes tailored to the needs of older individuals and communities.

Moses Phiri, widely known as DJ 10111, graduated with a PhD in statistics from the North-West University (NWU) on 22 May 2024.

He is the second DJ to achieve this academic milestone at the NWU, following DJ HK who earned a PhD in geography in 2022.

Born and raised in Mahikeng, he completed his bachelor’s degree in statistics in 2009 and his honours degree (cum laude) in 2010. His pursuit of education continued at the Gordon Institute of Business Science, where he completed a postgraduate diploma in general management in 2018 and an MBA in strategic leadership in 2020.

Moses Radebe, a two-time world Morganti Ju-Jitsu and a five-time national Ju-Jitsu champion, graduated with a PhD in radiation science at the North-West University (NWU) on 20 May 2024.

Moses also holds a BSc in computer science and physics, and a BScHons and MSc in applied radiation science.

His PhD thesis was on “The design, construction, and validation of a radon chamber for the calibration of radon monitors at the North-West University, South Africa”.