According to Stats SA’s 2022 report, young people in South Africa continue to struggle to enter the labour market with an unemployment rate higher than the national average.

According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) for the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate was 63,9% for those aged 15 to 24, and 42,1% for those aged 25 to 34 years, with the official national unemployment rate at 34,5%.

With every stair Tebogo climbs to the stage, with every step he takes across the stage, the heart of his mom, Jane Fransman, beats faster. Thump-thump, thump-thump. Proud beats. When he stops and receives his teaching degree there, in the auditorium of the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU), she wants to jump out of her skin. Tears course down her cheeks. “I was very happy. I never thought I would see the day that he would stand on the stage and receive his degree.” Because life has tried to throw her from course more than once.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences in Mahikeng recently initiated and hosted a Career Expo to empower learners and unemployed graduates in the Phela and Matlhako regions.

The NWU organised the event together with its strategic partner, the North West Development Corporation (NWDC), and in conjunction with the Pella-Matlhako Development Group (PMDG).

The event, themed “Dream it to be it”, took place on 21 May 2022 at the Bakwena-ba-Morare Tribal Hall.

The North-West University (NWU), in partnership with Van Schaik Publishers, recently launched the book Community engagement research in South Africa - Methods, Theories, Histories and Practice. This book is a collaborative effort by three editors, well versed in community engaged research.

The three scholars, representing various disciplines, are Prof Elize van Eeden from the NWU, Prof Irma Eloff and Prof Hanlie Dippenaar.

Oldrin Masowa

Justice in action: the Student Campus Council’s (SCC’s) Legal Office on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus recently launched a legal aid service to assist students with legal matters.

Through this initiative, the SCC Legal Office aims to assist students with matters relating to student judicial services, the drafting of appeals as well as issues with lease agreements.

DJ Hans Kekana, better known as DJ HK, took off his headphones and stepped out from behind his turntables to receive a PhD in geography during the North-West University’s (NWU’s) graduation ceremony on 23 May 2022.

This adds to his already impressive list of successes in academic research, public service, the music industry, entrepreneurship and events management.

His journey

Hans registered for his first-year studies at the former University of Bophuthatswana (Unibo) in 1992 and joined the South African Student Congress (Sasco).

A group of 15 researchers from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management recently presented their work at the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Europe conference in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The theme for the meeting was “Towards a reduced pollution society”.

According to one of the NWU researchers, Dr Hannes Erasmus, a variety of topics were discussed, ranging from laboratory-based studies to field studies in terrestrial, fresh water and marine ecosystems.

During the month of May, then acting vice-chancellor Prof Linda du Plessis hosted multi-campus events to thank the frontline staff members for working hard during the registration period amidst Covid-19 challenges.

It was a blissful day for Prof Ntate Dan Kgwadi, former North-West University (NWU) principal and vice-chancellor, as his only child Ofentse Kgwadi graduated recently.

Ofentse was among the droves of NWU graduates who were conferred degrees at a graduation ceremony held at Kompas Gemeente in Vanderbijlpark. 

Unfortunately, due to work commitments, Prof Kgwadi, who was expected to be part of the NWU graduation procession, could not witness the moment. Prof Kgwadi recently assumed office as vice-chancellor at the Vaal University of Technology.

The numbers speak for themselves: a vast number of women in South Africa are living in danger. According to a study by Statistics South Africa, one in five (21%) women with partners has experienced physical violence by a partner in their lifetime, and 6% have experienced sexual violence. The prevalence of physical violence is the highest among women in the Eastern Cape, while the North West province has the highest rate of women who have experienced sexual violence (11,8%).