The North-West University’s (NWU) Vanderbijlpark Campus burst into life on June 16 as it welcomed back former students, staff, and community partners for its inaugural Alumni and Friends Sports Fun Day. The event, held on Youth Day, blended athletic energy with heartfelt reconnection, marking a new chapter in alumni engagement through the unifying power of sport.
In celebration of Youth Month – a time to recognise the boldness, creativity and grit of South Africa’s emerging leaders – we spotlight Cimoné Louw, a dynamic 26-year-old whose career path proves that precision, purpose and passion are a powerful combination.
What did you study at the NWU?
I studied Forensic Accounting at the North-West University.
What is your current profession/occupation?
I am a forensic accountant at StoneTurn and the owner of a small business called Cfisticated.
By Phenyo Mokgothu and Gofaone Motsamai
Five speakers from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus Debate Union proved their strength at a national debate and public-speaking competition held at the University of the Free State.
“We chose the speakers from the internal public-speaking competition, and they showed they have what it takes to compete at national level,” says Sandile Mbizeni, chief adjudicator of the Debate Union.
A call has gone out to stakeholders in the North West Province to be part of the process of unlocking the economic potential of “matekwane” - the Setswana word for cannabis - for the benefit of rural communities.
The South African Statistical Association (SASA) has announced the winner of its 2024/25 Honours Bursary Competition. Relebohile Makhanya, a student from North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus, has been awarded the bursary valued at R50 000.
The competition is open to third-year students in statistics or mathematical statistics who plan to pursue honours studies at a South African university. It aims to support academic progress and address financial need in the field.
Drama has its uses beyond the stage and screen. It can even be applied to workplace challenges.
In a creative approach to learning, second-year students from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Human Resource Management, Industrial Psychology and Tourism subject groups have been using drama to explore workplace challenges and propose practical solutions.
As part of their Training and Development module, students were tasked with identifying gaps in real-world company training practices and presenting strategic responses through dramatised scenarios.
A final-year law student at North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom Campus has been chosen for the 2025 Siyaphumelela Scholars programme, a national initiative focused on student success and leadership in higher education.
Musa Bizani and four other students from the University of Cape Town, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, University of the Witwatersrand and University of the Western Cape will attend the Siyaphumelela Conference at the Indaba Hotel and Conference Centre in Fourways, Johannesburg, from 8 to 11 July 2025.
By Gofaone Motsamai
A social sciences and economics student at North-West University’s Mahikeng Campus is balancing the demands of academic life with running a minicab business.
Maano Rambwa, now in his final year, ventured into entrepreneurship in 2023 when he launched Candy Corner, a small business selling sweets around campus. “I saved the money from that for two years,” he says.
When the 2025 Comrades Marathon kicked off on Sunday, 8 June, Benjamin Tjiane was running more than just the 90-odd kilometres between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. He was pursuing a goal that had started during the Covid-19 lockdowns. What began as a personal challenge has evolved into something much deeper.
“My first race was 21 km in 2019. After Covid-19, I challenged myself to run 42 and 50 km races, which were qualifying criteria for the Comrades," Benjamin remembers, “and that is how I started running Comrades marathons, realising I have endurance."
In a heartwarming and triumphant celebration of perseverance, passion, and purpose, the Ch@s peer helpers from the North-West University’s Vanderbijlpark Campus made an unforgettable mark during the May 2025 graduation ceremonies. But this was not just any graduation story — this was a victory parade for a group of student leaders whose impact reached far beyond academics.