EMS

KZN’s tourism promise faces its municipal test

Tick-tock, tick-tock. The clock is counting down to the start of KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN’s) summer tourism season. Soon, visitors will be treated to the warm Indian Ocean lapping against the shores of some of the country’s most scenic beaches. Inland, about 200 km of the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg escarpment culminates in Mafadi, the province’s highest peak at roughly 3,450 metres. Between coast and mountains lies a landscape rich in culture, nature reserves and year-round outdoor activities.

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Across faculties and borders: International Teaching Weeks bring global perspectives into classrooms

Academics from across Africa and Europe joined colleagues and students from the North-West University (NWU) for a week of teaching, learning, collaboration and cultural exchange - bringing international perspectives directly into NWU classrooms.

From 14 to 18 September 2026, the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences (FEMS) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) hosted parallel International Teaching Weeks across NWU’s three campuses. 

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Student entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level

For some students, university is the start of a career. For others, it is where they discover that they can create their own careers and even create jobs for others. Eight North-West University (NWU) students recently took their business ideas and ventures to the regional stage of the EDHE Absa Entrepreneurship InnoVarsity 2026, showing the creativity, determination and potential of the university’s young entrepreneurs.

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Expert urges caution over proposed tax expansion to taxis and e-hailing services

Plans to bring more taxi and e-hailing operators into South Africa’s tax net could raise state revenue, but they may also increase transport costs and put pressure on operators and cash-strapped commuters.

This is according to Dr Olebogeng Ambrocius Baikgaki, senior lecturer and programme leader in the subject group Transport Economics and Logistics Management at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus. 

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Vanderbijlpark Campus plants trees for a greener future

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Vanderbijlpark Campus commemorated Arbor Day 2026 by planting indigenous trees and reaffirming its commitment to a greener and more sustainable future.

Held under the theme “Leave a legacy – plant a tree”, the programme brought together campus management, student leadership, academic and support staff, faculties, departments and residences.

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Fuel shock reaches far beyond the pumps

Deep pockets will no longer suffice; we now need them to extend all the way down to our knees. The fuel price increases that took effect on Wednesday, 2 September will place further strain on an economy struggling to keep its head above water. Achieving National Treasury’s already modest growth forecast of 1.6% for 2026 will be difficult enough, never mind exceeding it.

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It is time for the South African Blue Crane to spread its wings as a national icon

  • More than 99% of the world’s Blue Cranes live in South Africa, yet our national bird remains one of the country’s most underused tourism assets.

  • The Blue Crane is a living part of South Africa’s heritage, yet the species’ ‘Vulnerable’ status shows that national-symbol status does not guarantee survival.

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The psychology behind your shopping trolley

South African households are counting every rand, but the retailers competing for their money have a formidable advantage: they understand how people shop, often better than shoppers understand themselves.

From the moment customers collect a trolley, they enter an environment carefully designed to influence where they walk, what they notice and how much they spend. Store layouts, shelf positions, scents, sounds, prices and loyalty programmes all play a part.

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