More than 100 000 people in South Africa have turned to the waste-picking sector as a source of employment. This is according to Nonhlanhla Ngcobo, a PhD student and a researcher at the South African Chair in Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability in the Faculty of Law at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Potchefstroom Campus.

“The slow economic growth rate in South Africa does not bring hope to the 31% of people currently unemployed, especially those with very low levels of education and skills,” she says.

One of the most challenging anxieties of the 21st century is safeguarding food security for the world’s exponential growing population, as stipulated by goal 2 of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to projections, the global food demand is expected to rise between 60 to 98% by 2050, with a population of more than 9 billion.

South Africa’s freshwater sources are under pressure from various kinds of contaminants, and North-West University (NWU) researchers are searching for ways to keep track of some of the more elusive pollutants.

Prof Rialet Pieters, a researcher in the Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, is an ecotoxicologist whose interests lie in organic chemical pollutants and their harmful effects on humans and wildlife.

By Ontiretse Motingwa and Nolwazi Xulu

Prof Howard Chtimira, a professor of securities and financial markets law at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Law, delivered his inaugural lecture on 21 October 2022 at the Mahikeng Campus.

Titled “A legal conspectus of selected challenges affecting financial inclusion for the poor and low-income earners in South Africa”, the lecture advocated for better financial inclusion strategies in South Africa.

He is revered as one of the greatest human rights champions and spiritual leaders of all time. Mahatma Gandhi, who advocated non-violent resistance and influenced civil disobedience protests for generations after him, is an international icon with a special connection to Potchefstroom and indirectly to the North-West University (NWU).

This connection is a special collection of hand-written legal documents by Gandhi himself and owned by the NWU. These are on display at an exhibition by the NWU Library Services and shed light on Gandhi’s time as an attorney in Johannesburg.

By Ontiretse Motingwa

“As a complicated and ever-evolving field, science requires scientists and researchers who are resilient, determined, and knowledgeable. They must also have a great willingness to learn and use new skills and scientific concepts without bias or conformity to what society deems acceptable.” This is according to Khanyisani Ziqubu, a PhD biochemistry candidate at the North-West University (NWU).

By Onitretse Motingwa

“Little attention is given to the mental health of those affected by divorce,” says Dr Lebogang Philda Selahla, a North-West University (NWU) PhD alumnus.

Dr Selahla who recently obtained her PhD, conducted research on mental health issues of men and women who are affected by divorce. Her thesis is titled “Psychosocial predictors of the mental health of divorcees and efficacy of intervention”.

I paid the debt I owed them, but they’re still not satisfied; now I am a branded man out in the cold.”

These words of singer Merle Haggard ring true for many ex-offenders when they try to reintegrate into society.

The Spelling Checkers for South African Languages, a spelling and hyphenation checker tool for ten of South Africa’s official languages, excluding English, is now available to download for free from the website of the South African Centre for Digital Language Resources (SADiLaR).

The North-West University (NWU) has welcomed the United States Ambassador to South Africa, Reuben E Brigety II, during a function at its Mahikeng Campus on 4 October.

The ambassador, who officially arrived in the country eight weeks ago, was accompanied by the US Consul General in Johannesburg, Mr Vincent Spera.

NWU principal and vice-chancellor, Dr Bismark Tyobeka, said the ambassador’s visit was important as the university was considering partnering with the Colorado School of Mines to assist in establishing an NWU School of Mining.