It is hard to recall a time when there were as many economic and political cross-currents as there are for South Africa as it enters 2023. This is according to Prof Raymond Parsons, economist at the Business School of the North-West University (NWU).

The North-West University (NWU) is committed to bettering the lives of the communities that we serve, and we are proud of our investment in our local communities to aid in their health, prosperity and development. The NWU is a unitary institution that has campuses in Mahikeng, Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark.

The North-West University (NWU) will not allow persons who did not qualify for admission, did not receive an offer to study at the NWU or who applied late to enter its campuses to enrol as so-called walk-ins during the registration period for first-year students in 2023.

The NWU has reached full capacity for its 2023 intake, with no extra places available. Close to 200 000 applications were received, of which only 11 662 could be accommodated in terms of our approved enrolment targets.

Water is an essential component of life on earth, and without it we cannot survive. However, the sad reality is that we take this resource for granted, and much more should be done to conserve it.

The North-West University (NWU) played its part by being the primary host of the 23rd WaterNet WARFSA/GWP-SA Symposium that took place at Sun City from 19 to 21 October 2022.

These symposia have been held annually in the eastern and southern African regions for the past 22 years.

A new chief director has joined the Business School of the North-West University (NWU). Dr Joseph Sekhampu, an executive in private higher education, will take the reins on 17 January 2023.

Dr Sekhampu boasts managerial expertise that includes being executive head of commerce and management (from August 2022), chief operating officer (2019 to 2022) and dean of the School of Commerce (2014 to 2019) at Milpark Education, a South African private education institution in business education.

From 25 November to 10 December we as South Africans took hands with the rest of the world to take part in the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign. The campaign, which is held annually, commenced on the International Day of No Violence Against Women and will end on International Human Rights Day.

In a world grappling with the effects of pollution and global warming, hydrogen is a viable alternative in generating cleaner, “greener” energy to not only benefit humankind, but also the environment.

The British Council in South Africa has selected two innovators of the North-West University (NWU) to participate in its inaugural Strengthening Commercialisation Skills (SCS) programme. This programme is directed towards the fields of humanities, arts and social sciences (HASS).

Dr Mesuli Mbanjwa, a commercialisation manager at the NWU’s Technology Transfer and Innovation Support (TTIS) office, and Prof Henk Louw, an associate professor of Academic Literacy in the Faculty of Education, have been chosen for the programme, which kicked off on 29 November 2022.

’tis the season to be jolly, but many a South African will feel more trepidation than delight as the celebrations of the festive season loom. These South Africans are shackled by the chains of reckless spending and unsound financial advice. Including by friends and family, they will be visited by the Fiscal Ghost of 2022 Past, but – to keep misquoting and paraphrasing Charles Dickens – the best of times can follow the worst of times.

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Tlotlo Kokeletso Palai recently launched her own hot sauce brand

The name of Tlotlo’s hot sauce is Deddi’s hot sauce, a name dedicated to her father, who is a farmer.

She says her hot sauce is made using her father’s seeds from 10 years ago. “The chilli itself is unique and so is the hotness.”

Tlotlo, originally from Rustenburg and a Bachelor of Social Science graduate from the NWU, says she started her trials in 2021.