Community Engagement

Three NWU alumni’s boxing academy aims to uplift the community

Three female alumni of the North-West University (NWU) and former university team boxers – Onalenna Tsae, Goitseone Kgopiso, and Keamogetse Lesole – opened the SK Boxing Academy in 2022 to develop and promote the sport in their community.

The academy, strictly owned and run by women, currently has two branches – one in Uitkyk Village and the other in Mmabatho.

Submitted on Mon, 05/08/2023 - 08:29

Memory of Prof Dan Kgwadi honoured

On request of the family of the late Prof Dan Kgwadi, former principal and vice-chancellor of the North-West University (NWU), a memorial service to honour him was held on 4 May 2023 at the Mahikeng Campus.

Prof Kgwadi passed away on 30 April 2023.

Many speakers paid tribute to him during the memorial service, describing him as a visionary leader who was committed to making a difference in the lives of students and the wider community.

Submitted on Mon, 05/08/2023 - 08:26

Revolutionising maths education: Whartels™ learning programme is helping kids excel

A North-West University (NWU) senior lecturer in the subject group Psychology, Dr Petro Erasmus, developed and designed the mathematics programme Whartels™ – which is exclusively used in Let’s Really Play Maths Centres – to help foundation phase learners excel in maths.

This programme was recently launched at the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) in Pretoria.

Her innovative programme focuses on developing both cognitive and neuro-psychological facets to help children improve their maths skills.

Submitted on Thu, 05/04/2023 - 14:22

Minister appoints NWU’s Research Support director to Water Research Commission

Expert knowledge is needed to protect and manage water, an essential and scarce natural resource. As a relatively dry country, South Africa faces crucial challenges that include insufficient water, water quality problems, inadequate infrastructure and inconsistency in access.

The Water Research Commission (WRC) plays an integral role in enabling the country to address these issues. One of the NWU’s own is now stepping up to play a part in this commission’s important work.

Submitted on Thu, 05/04/2023 - 14:04

Snail Day raises awareness of schistosomiasis and river health

The North-West University (NWU) Water Research Group (WRG) and the University of Limpopo (UL) recently hosted a Snail Day community workshop, sponsored by the Water Research Commission (WRC).

According to Dr Lizaan de Necker, principal investigator from the NWU, this formed part of their project that focuses on the distribution of schistosomiasis in South Africa, how it may have changed over the past 40 years, and to model how the distribution may change in the future because of climate change.

Submitted on Wed, 05/03/2023 - 12:28

NWU Soccer Institute player named top North West ABC Motsepe player

The North-West University (NWU) is celebrating the recent announcement that one of their football players, Heaven Prince Julius Sereetsi, has been named the best player of the North West ABC Motsepe league.

Heaven, an NWU Soccer Institute attacking winger, has been recognised for his outstanding performances throughout the league season. He has been a key player in the NWU team, contributing to their success in the league and helping them secure a place in the playoffs.

Submitted on Tue, 05/02/2023 - 15:13

Young Guns emulate champion big brothers

There is no such thing as too much of a good thing, especially not when rugby at the North-West University (NWU) is concerned. Not in the slightest. On Monday, 24 April 2023 the NWU Eagles (Young Guns) were crowned the Varsity Cup Young Guns champions after beating Maties 27-26 in Stellenbosch.

By doing so, the fledglings emulated their older brothers who won the senior competition. Every Varsity Cup rugby trophy now resides in Potchefstroom, making the NWU the undisputed kings of university rugby.

Submitted on Tue, 05/02/2023 - 14:23

NWU is South Africa’s premier tennis hub

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus can now rightly be called South Africa’s go-to tennis destination with the official opening of its clay court precinct on Friday, 28 April 2023.  

These five new courts are supplemented by 10 hard courts and two grass courts to make the NWU Africa’s undisputed leader in providing players the best and only complete offering of tennis courts. This, coupled with the NWU’s world-class facilities, has again shown why the university is a hub of sporting excellence. 

Submitted on Tue, 05/02/2023 - 14:10

From ideation to commercialisation – that is impactful NWU research

The Technology Transfer and Innovation Support (TTIS) office at the North-West University (NWU) is helping innovators and entrepreneurs to realise their dreams.

When a third-year BCom student, Irene Nompini Tsele, conceived her idea for a cosmetics business, little did she know that partnering with the university’s TTIS office would one day make her business flourish.

Submitted on Fri, 04/28/2023 - 10:40

MASARA focuses on music and the conservation of indigenous music

Aristotle said that music has the power to form the character and should therefore be introduced into the education of the young. This quote is befitting of the Musical Arts in South Africa: Resources and Applications (MASARA) research niche area at the North-West University (NWU).

MASARA is part of the NWU’s School of Music and Conservatory, and their focus is music and music well-being. The research niche area also focuses on the conservation and use of indigenous music and was established in November 2008.

Submitted on Fri, 04/28/2023 - 10:35