From the quiet streets of the Bodibe village outside Lichtenburg to the helm of a secondary school in Rustenburg, North-West University (NWU) alumnus Itumeleng Joy Molaakgosi embodies resilience, academic excellence and servant leadership.

Itumeleng was born on 19 March 1987 and raised by parents who had no formal education, and his story is rooted in determination and faith in the transformative power of education.

Researchers and students at the North-West University (NWU) will livestream a partial solar eclipse from the NWU Solar Observatory* on the Potchefstroom Campus. This gives the public a safe way to experience the breathtaking celestial event on 17 February 2026.

Dr Ruhann Steyn, senior lecturer and researcher at the Centre for Space Research in the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, says the eclipse will be visible across most of South Africa, including all three NWU campuses.

The North-West University (NWU) is taking a big step forward! The university has been awarded Phase Two of the South African Circular Minerals and Metals Initiative, co-hosted by the CSIR through Circular Innovation South Africa, and the official launch took place on Friday, 6 February at the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) HySA Infrastructure Centre of Competence on the Potchefstroom Campus.

It was an exciting day, marking a real milestone for NWU and for South Africa’s mining sector.

In the usual wide-ranging State of the Nation Address (SONA) President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the extent to which South Africa is now at a turning point and needs to capitalise on recent positive developments to build a much bigger, stronger and better economy.

South Africa’s exporters may soon find a wider door opening in Beijing, but whether they can fully walk through it will depend on preparation at home. China’s move to allow duty-free imports on selected South African products signals stronger economic ties, yet it is no silver bullet for broader trade challenges.

According to North-West University (NWU) economist Dr Mpho Lenoke, the bilateral trade framework cooperation move initiated by China and South Africa in early February 2026 carries both economic and strategic weight.

The 2026 Varsity Cup will kick off with a highly competitive opening fixture, with previous seasons having delivered drama, late winners and high scores. On Monday 16 February, the FNB NWU Eagles will take on the CUT Ixias in Bloemfontein in a clash that has become a seasonal highlight.

The Eagles will face a determined CUT side eager to bounce back after their crushing 117-19 defeat at the Fanie du Toit Sports Grounds in Potchefstroom in 2025.

As the new academic year began at the Vanderbijlpark Campus of the North-West University (NWU), some returning students faced a harsh reality: without money to register, their dreams of continuing their education were at risk. For months, these students had juggled part-time jobs, family responsibilities and academic pressure – only to be met with the devastating possibility of being left behind.

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Thato Mashishi has been appointed head of the corporate and commercial division at Berwins Solicitors Limited in the United Kingdom (UK), marking a significant career milestone.

Thato joined Berwins in November 2025 and took over leadership of the firm’s business arm from founder Paul Berwin as the firm positions itself for expansion.

“My role includes growing my team and the unit. I oversee business development and the introduction of efficiencies, including incorporating technology in the way we work,” explained Thato.

Roughly 384 400 km from the pale blue dot we call Earth hangs an orb that has fascinated humanity for millennia. The Moon is our planet’s only natural satellite and is about a quarter of Earth’s size. Only 12 people set foot on it between 1969 and 1972, but more than 50 years later the Artemis programme aims to add to that number.

In early March, NASA’s Artemis II mission will carry four astronauts on a lunar flyby during a 10-day trip, with later missions set to put feet back on the Moon’s surface.

The Emfuleni Local Municipality reaffirmed its commitment to community engagement and student success by awarding bursaries to two North-West University (NWU) students during a ceremony held recently at its offices in Vanderbijlpark.

Hosted in partnership with MAXPROF and EST Sourcing, the event celebrated academic excellence while reinforcing the shared responsibility of government, higher education and industry to invest in young people and strengthen local communities through education.