It has all the characteristics of a Shakespearean tragedy, although the playwright’s special imagery is lacking.

Uncertainty reigns and doubt about the future is fostered in all but the most optimistic minds. What has remained a constant is the North-West University’s (NWU’s) superlative research output and our researchers’ indefatigable pursuit of excellence.

At the May and June graduation ceremonies, 136 PhDs were awarded, with more ceremonies to follow before the end of the year.

The wide range of bacterial species found in ready-to-eat meat sold on the streets of Johannesburg indicates that consumers of this meat could be at risk of food poisoning.

This is according to the findings of a study conducted by Dr Mpinda Edoaurd Tshipamba, North-West University (NWU) master’s graduate in the subject group Animal Health.

The title of his study was “Evaluation of the effect of hygiene practices and attitudes on the microbial quality of street vended meats sold in Johannesburg, South Africa”.

The way in which Scripture is read and interpreted has a major effect on what people read in the Bible. This also determines their approach to concerning and topical issues with which the faithful struggle.

This is the focus of the research by Prof Marius Nel, research chair in Ecumenism: Pentecostalism and Neo-Pentecostalism, on the Pentecostalist movement. Prof Nel, a regular recipient of the award as the North-West University’s (NWU’s) most productive researcher, says he is fascinated by themes that function in the field of the Pentecostalist movement.

With a B2 rating from the National Research Foundation (NRF), Prof David Scott-Macnab is the highest rated researcher currently employed in the Faculty of Humanities at the North-West University (NWU).

To receive a B2 rating, an academic needs to have published a substantial body of research in top-tier, high-impact international journals, books and chapters in books.

Prof Scott-Macnab, who specialises in Middle English research, says he has received a B2 rating three times in a row since 2006, most recently at the beginning of 2021.

In a water-scarce country like South Africa with growing demands for grazing, cultivated perennial grasses could be the answer to protecting the veld and providing nutrition for animals.

“Droughts, scarcity of rain and overgrazing have caused a lot of degradation of the veld, and therefore veld restoration is a priority for farmers and the animals that depend on grass for survival,” says Ntokozo Msiza, a PhD candidate in animal science at the North-West University (NWU).

In a time of Covid-19 fatigue, citizens are now confronted with an even deadlier and highly transmissible Delta variant. This new virus mutation impacts on already overburdened and under-resourced health systems. More alarming is that on day 460 of the lockdown in South Africa, less than 1% of the population was fully immunised.

“The announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa of a reshuffled cabinet on 5 Au

The devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have adversely affected all facets of human life. 
These effects are felt across the globe – from health challenges leading to hospitalisation and even death, loss of income and/or employment and hunger and malnutrition, to an increase in external debt and food security challenges.