Keep up to date with

Indian Ocean Rim conversation to bridge academia, policy and community needs

By Gofaone Motsamai and Nikelo Mehlomakulu

The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean, serving as a lifeline for international trade and transport. South Africa is a key player in the 23-country Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the North-West University (NWU) is an integral part of the IORA Academic Group, which promotes collaboration among universities, governments and communities in the region.

Submitted on Fri, 07/04/2025 - 09:42

Rebuilding the pipeline to secure the university’s water future

Leaky, dilapidated water lines are being replaced at the North-West University (NWU) to reduce water losses and conserve water more effectively. One such rehabilitation project is under way at the Mahikeng Campus.

What was once a neglected water system is now central to the university’s Waterwise Project, as it forms the backbone of a new plan to treat, distribute, and monitor clean water on campus.

Waterwise is a long-term infrastructure overhaul aimed at saving, cleaning and recycling water, and making the university water resilient.

Submitted on Fri, 07/04/2025 - 09:24

National Dialogue Outreach Session with former President Thabo Mbeki

The North-West University (NWU) in partnership with the Strategic Dialogue Group (SDG) and the Thabo Mbeki Foundation will host former President Thabo Mbeki for the inaugural session of the national dialogue discussions.

This event takes place on Saturday, 5 July 2025, at the Auditorium on the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus from 09:00 to 14:30 and attendees can join either in-person, or online.

Submitted on Wed, 07/02/2025 - 13:07

Real men cry too: Alumni workshop breaks the silence on men’s mental health

By Gofaone Motsamai and Nikelo Mehlomakulu

It was not just a gathering; it was a breaking of the silence around men’s mental health struggles. On 26 June 2025, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus became a space where men exchanged ego for honesty, and bravado for openness.

The NWU alumni men’s mental health workshop brought together graduates, professionals and mentors for a conversation about what it means to be a man in a society that teaches boys to hold back pain.

Submitted on Wed, 07/02/2025 - 10:21

New southern African frog app is making a splash

It is late at night and above you stretches the vast expanse of the Southern African sky that stretches to eternity. You are alone with your thoughts, or at least you think you are. Suddenly, your senses are jolted awake by an unexpected sound. You look around, but see nothing. Then you hear it again: “Ribbit-ribbit… ribbit-ribbit…” You take out your phone – it’s time to discover who your companion is.

Submitted on Tue, 07/01/2025 - 13:38

Vanderbijlpark Campus hosts Inaugural Alumni and Friends Sports Day

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.

Submitted on Mon, 06/30/2025 - 08:26

NWU students present research on traditional cannabis use at international conference

By Gofaone Motsamai and Phenyo Mokgothu

Cannabis is much more than a plant for South Africa’s traditional healers; it is part of a spiritual practice and a tool for healing in our communities, according to five postgraduate students from the North-West University’s (NWU) Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences.

Submitted on Fri, 06/27/2025 - 10:03