It is easy to see how a lack of the proper application of the law, particularly in the South African context, may ultimately lead to anarchy because of those determined to sidestep it.

Fortunately, efforts such as those by the Research Unit for Law, Justice and Sustainability at the North-West University (NWU) are at the forefront of seeking innovative solutions to our country’s social and environmental challenges.

Social justice in labour law is not abstract and intangible, but measurable. Setting out to prove this, labour relations researcher Prof Paul Smit is investigating whether it is possible to develop a social justice scorecard, similar to an employment equity or broad-based black economic empowerment scorecard.

By Menziwa Msibi

The North-West University (NWU) Library and Information Service and the School of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering recently hosted the 3rd IFLA Symposium on Artificial Intelligence in Potchefstroom.

They did this in collaboration with the International Federation of Libraries Association Information Technology (IFLA IT) Section.

Hendrik Snyman, a fourth-year industrial engineering student at the North-West University (NWU), emerged as the victor in the recent Operations Research Society of South Africa (ORSSA*) optimisation modeling competition.

The competition, which took place during the tutorial session of this year's 52nd annual ORSSA conference, presented an exciting opportunity for attendees to showcase their optimisation modeling skills. Prof Fanie Terblanche from Elytica presented the competition, and also sponsored the first-place cash prize of R3 500.

North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Leepile Sehularo addressed the contentious issue of marijuana legalisation in South Africa during his inaugural lecture on 20 September 2023.

Under the theme "Legalisation of marijuana: The debate continues," Prof Sehularo provided a thorough examination of the profound implications of the ongoing debate.

The South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM) hosted a public lecture on public leadership and governance in contemporary South Africa on 14 September 2023.

This public lecture was also a commemoration of the late Prof Barry Rhulani Hanyane, a lecturer and well-known political analyst at the NWU’s School of Government Studies. He passed away on 11 May 2022.

North-West University (NWU) academic Prof Lesetja Legoabe and student Monique Labuschagne had an impressive showing at the 42nd Academy of Pharmaceutical Science of South Africa (APSSA) Conference.

Prof Legoabe from the Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences received the best publication award for his work titled "Investigation of Quinolone‐Tethered Aminoguanidine as Novel Antibacterial Agents".

Monique, who is affiliated with the NWU’s Preclinical Drug Development Platform, received the best poster award in recognition for her research.

Maricélle Botes, a final-year PhD student at the North-West University`s (NWU’s) Research Unit for Law, Justice and Sustainability, has been honoured with the National Research Foundation’s (NRF’s) Research Excellence Award for Next Generation Researchers in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law category.

The award, presented at a glittering event, recognised her outstanding academic performance and demonstrated potential for contributing significantly to the national system of innovation.

The continent is ravaged by a host of factors inhibiting food security and is trapped in what a recent report by the World Bank calls “the perfect storm”. Its consequences are disastrous. The Covid-19 pandemic was followed by the war in the Ukraine, which has led to severe food and fertiliser shortages. Now, Africa is in the midst of a tempest of increased debt and inflation, as well as the effects of climate change. The World Bank states that at least one in five Africans goes to bed hungry, and that about 140 million people in Africa are in a food insecurity stranglehold.

Vickey de Villiers, a master’s student in the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the North-West University (NWU), recently received the 2022 Founder’s Medal by the Economic Society of South Africa for the best master’s research paper submitted at a South African university.