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.

At the tender age of 25, Phemelo Theophilus Magau has completed a daunting challenge: he finished his Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree in just two years.

He was awarded his LLD in mercantile law during an autumn graduation ceremony at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus on 25 May 2022.

Phemelo’s PhD thesis was “A comparative legal analysis of the promotion of financial education for low-income earners in South Africa”.

It has been a year in which highlight has succeeded highlight, in which one honour bestowed succeeded another. Christa Ramasimong is experiencing a time that will not only shape her future, but her very being. The character of the young woman is being moulded in a furnace fired by her resolve to succeed.  

Prof Doris Bohman, a registered nurse, nurse tutor and associate professor at the Department of Health, Blekinge Institute of Technology, in Sweden, was recently appointed as an extraordinary professor at the North-West University's (NWU’s) Optentia research unit. 

Dr Bohman holds a PhD in medical science and has extensive experience working with ethnographic methods focusing on gerontological care.

The burning of fossil fuels and industrial emissions are among the major sources of air pollution in South Africa. However, there are other sources that are found in residential areas, for example unpaved roads, of which there are plenty in low-income residential areas in South Africa.

Air pollution is one of the top environmental problems that have a negative impact on human health and the environment in general.

Prompted by the high cost of chemicals fertilisers and their impact on the environment, a master’s student the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus, took on the challenge of searching for environmentally friendly options to replace or supplement chemical fertilisers.

Motlagomang Khantsi’s study titled “Determination and comparison of intraspecific variation in the bacterial strains resident around the root area of bambara nut”, was conducted in the Food Security and Safety research focus area at the NWU.

High blood pressure or hypertension is not only a disease in adults, but starts during childhood and tracks into adulthood.

In a study conducted by the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART) of the North-West University (NWU), researchers emphasised the importance of screening children, especially black children, for elevated blood pressure.

Farming runs in Prof Kenny Mnisi’s blood, and his life-long passion for animal sciences is finally paying off. Based in the School of Agricultural Sciences at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus, he has been awarded a Y2 rating by the National Research Foundation (NRF), which is known for its rigorous and robust rating process.

“Partnerships between the government, the private sector and civil society are critical for any sustainable development agenda. However, experience in Africa has shown that participation by local communities in development projects is rarely interactive or empowering,” says Otsile Maditsi, a PhD candidate and lecturer at the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) Centre of the North-West University (NWU).

Africa has abundant flora that can be used for food and medicine, and a young botanist at the North-West University (NWU) and his collaborating researchers are determined to ensure that communities themselves benefit from the rich plant life around them.