By Marize Language

When one enters the NWU Art Gallery, you are immediately dragged into an adventure of colour and texture. Right next to the foyer of the gallery the magical work of Dr Colette Lotz unfolds before your eyes. Lotz is a local artist and academic in the Graphic Design subject group at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (NWU), and her work is truly extraordinary.

Take a moment to consider these figures. South Africa’s transport sector contributes about 8% of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We have a 750 000 km road network that carries 80% of freight and 70% of passenger traffic. We have one of the largest rail systems in Africa with approximately 30 400 kilometres of track. Air transport is facilitated by 90 licensed airports and maritime transport carries 96% of the country’s exports by volume.

• The Programme for Forensic Accountancy at the North-West University (NWU) has the biggest group of forensic experts in South Africa who work in the programme full-time.

• The Programme for Forensic Accountancy at the NWU is one of a kind.

• The programme is vital in curbing fraud and corruption.

The School of Social Sciences and the School of Philosophy at the North-West University (NWU), represented by lecturers Kagiso Phake, Germinah Motshegwa and Amantle Mothelesi, participated in a community engagement event organised by the Gaabo Motho Foundation in Zeerust.

The event aimed to promote the NWU, highlighting the academic programmes offered by the two schools.

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) unwavering commitment to community engagement is deeply rooted in its initiatives of empowering the communities it serves using research to address relevant needs.

The NWU’s Sustainability and Community Impact division recently held its annual Youth Learning Festival (YLF) – welcoming about 150 young people from the Stilfontein and Fochville areas to the Potchefstroom Campus.

• Increasing the air access capacity to South Africa remains a critical aspect of the tourism agenda.

• The tourism industry faces transport challenges such as public transport coverage in rural and remote areas, public transport security concerns and limited railway services.

• The Kruger National Park Airport is an excellent example of how to spread tourists to more remote areas.

Creating and executing supranational regional policies is a critical first step in preparing regions to become core players on the global stage. Such policies seek to modernise and restructure a region’s foundations, promote sustainable development across borders and address economic and social inequalities.

Improvements in the North West province’s support systems for psychiatric nurses would directly impact the quality of care for children with mental health issues.

This is one of the findings of a recent study led by Dr Rorisang Machailo, an academic at the School of Nursing at the North-West University (NWU). She focused on developing strategies to address the gaps in resources, training and support for psychiatric nurses caring for children with mental health issues in the province.

Chicken farmers in underprivileged communities are battling to contain feed costs while meeting growing consumer demand. An NWU master’s student has been exploring a potentially win-win solution.

Keamogetswe Constance Mokubung recently earned her master's degree in animal science under the guidance of Prof Upenyu Marume. Her research focused on the effects of incorporating fulvic acid into broiler diets in place of antibiotic growth promotants, specifically examining its potential impact on growth performance, health and meat quality.

Agriculture is at the forefront of ensuring food security and researchers at the North-West University (NWU) are constantly looking for innovative and more effective ways to enhance this crucial sector.

Associate professor Rojanette Coetzee from the School of Industrial Engineering is focusing on “lean agriculture” to reduce waste and improve the efficiency of agri-systems.

“The lean agriculture approach is adapted from the manufacturing industry, where it is used to reduce waste, improve efficiency and do more with less,” says Prof Coetzee.