Thousands of abandoned mining tailings dams across South Africa continue to expose gaps in environmental regulation, placing communities and ecosystems at risk.

Researcher Thandolwakhe Mokotedi from the Faculty of Law at the North-West University (NWU) says that “the regulation of tailings dams in South Africa remains an area of environmental law that requires immediate attention.” According to her research, there are an estimated 6 000 abandoned and unrehabilitated tailings dams posing a persistent environmental challenge.

Long-term capacity building is required to address perinatal mood disorders which affect more than a third of women in South Africa, negatively impacting individuals and families.

To address this, local, international health care professionals and academics met in Mahikeng from 9 to 13 March 2026. The purpose was to advance a joint programme aimed at improving early detection and management of perinatal mood disorders in rural South Africa. Limited access to specialised mental-health services in these areas continues to affect maternal and child health.

For Dr Modupe Stella Ayilara, science has always been about more than research. It is about people, communities and finding solutions that matter.

This landmark event brought together scholars, practitioners, and global experts dedicated to

The North-West University (NWU) honoured its exceptional staff at the annual NWU Excellence Awards ceremony, held in Potchefstroom on 20 November.

More than 150 staff members received recognition for their outstanding contributions to the university’s key focus areas of teaching and learning, community engagement, and research and innovation.

For more than two decades, the African Nutrition Leadership Programme (ANLP) of the North-West University (NWU) has been shaping the future of nutrition leadership on the continent. Since its first programme in 2002, this flagship 10-day residential initiative, hosted annually at the NWU, has developed over 500 professionals from more than 40 African countries. This year alone this flagship programme will reach close to 50 professionals from 10 African countries.

The battle against HIV in sub-Saharan Africa has always been as much about systems and science as about the virus itself. Antiretroviral therapy has turned what was once a death sentence into a manageable condition.

Yet, as Dr Monray Williams of the North-West University (NWU) cautions, “millions of people still face barriers to prevention and treatment. Poverty, limited healthcare infrastructure, and social stigma continue to shape who gets care and who does not.”

Caregivers of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS carry responsibilities that shape family stability and community support. A new study has produced health-promotion strategies to strengthen their ability to care and sustain their own well-being.

After long days of teaching English in South Korea, Marcel van der Westhuizen would often find himself pondering the biggest questions imaginable: How will the universe ultimately end? His persistence and curiosity have now paid off.

By Gofaone Motsamai

When tourism researcher Dr Jean Manaliyo began asking people in Mahikeng what they knew about cannabis tourism, many were curious about how it could shape their community and economy. That curiosity has now taken his research across borders.

The North-West University (NWU) researcher will present his paper titled “Community perception towards cannabis tourism and socio-economic impacts in Mahikeng, South Africa” at a conference hosted by the University of Algarve in Portugal from 12 to 14 November 2025.