A national debate on STEM education is not optional; it is critical
South Africa’s infrastructure is failing, but the deeper crisis is that we are not developing the engineers, scientists and innovators needed to rebuild it.
South Africa’s infrastructure is failing, but the deeper crisis is that we are not developing the engineers, scientists and innovators needed to rebuild it.
The North-West University (NWU) congratulates Dr Lebogang Mathibe Ramalepe, a senior psychology lecturer and public health researcher at the Vanderbijlpark Campus, on her appointment as chairperson of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NCGBVF).
The Faculty of Law at the North-West University (NWU) continues to make a significant contribution to the development of South African jurisprudence, with Prof. Boitumelo “Tumi” Mmusinyane playing a pivotal role in a landmark High Court judgment that considered whether a surrogacy agreement is compatible with customary law.
The testimony presented before the Madlanga Commission on 29 July 2026 concerning the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), together with the resignation of its head, Adv. Andrea Johnson, should serve as a watershed moment in South Africa's fight against corruption.
Opinion piece by Dr Nkosingiphile Mkhize, a senior lecturer in the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Government Studies
From predicting droughts and floods to helping farmers plan planting seasons, space-based technologies are becoming practical tools for addressing some of Africa's development challenges, according to a North-West University (NWU) space scientist.
Years of research into aquatic ecosystems, student mentorship and international scientific collaboration have earned North-West University (NWU) researcher Prof. Nico Smit one of the highest honours in aquatic sciences in South Africa.

Prof. Jeffrey Mphahlele, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research & Innovation, Community Engagement, Postgraduate Studies with assigned function of the Vanderbijlpark Campus
- South Africa’s schools have not collapsed — but “not collapsed” must never become our standard for success.
- A child who cannot read for meaning by Grade 4 is not merely behind at school; that child faces a narrowed future.
- A country cannot build an innovation economy when hundreds of its schools do not even offer Mathematics.
What began as an entrepreneurship programme for students at the North-West University (NWU), has expanded into a community initiative that is helping local business owners grow their enterprises.
The Student Training for Entrepreneurial Promotion (STEP) programme at the Mahikeng Campus now includes community members, with one participant already translating classroom learning into business growth and national recognition.
The North-West University (NWU) proudly congratulates History Education lecturer Dr Mojuta Motlhamme on receiving a PhD in History from the University of the Witwatersrand.