When we think about tourism, our mind’s eye is filled with images of long safari drives through the African bush, sunbathing on the white sands of pristine beaches and gazing up at architectural feats both foreign and unique. But tourism is a complex industry that is subject to the whims and fancies of an almost unimaginable number of variables.

There is plenty to sift through, to research and to recommend to keep the industry healthy, as it is not only a major job creator, but an integral part of South Africa’s economy as an income generator. 

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Dr Bobby Moroe has been appointed Consul-General of South Africa in Lagos, Nigeria. Dr Moroe assumed this new assignment on 5 September 2022, and will be responsible for nine of the 36 states in Nigeria.

As head of the South African consulate in Lagos, he will be responsible for promoting trade and investment opportunities for South African businesses in Nigeria, and to encourage the same for Nigerian companies in South Africa.

The Chartered Accountancy programme of the North-West University (NWU) is truly a force to be reckoned with. This after the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) released its Initial Test of Competence (ITC) results, in which the NWU’s class of 2021 achieved a remarkable 100% combined pass rate in the January and June 2022 ITC sittings. Of the limited number of candidates who passed with distinction, three hailed from the NWU.

All public and private organisations must deal with the systemic risks of our complex world. However, such inherent complex risks are difficult to manage even where significant resources have been utilised in implementing formal risk management frameworks and related processes.

It is therefore important for organisational leaders to actively explore new methods to enhance the contribution of risk management processes when they are trying to reach their objectives, says Prof Hermien Zaaiman from the Optentia research unit of the North-West University (NWU).

Local solutions to the energy crisis are needed in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, says Dr Pamelah Cheuka, an economics specialist whose PhD thesis has shed light on the energy challenges of the region.

Dr Cheuka’s recent study on the impact of energy efficiency and renewable energy generation on productivity in the SADC has the potential to influence energy policymaking, especially in this era of climate change.

In times of turmoil and uncertainty, expertise is indispensable. At the North-West University (NWU), potential is nurtured into expertise and moulded in a form that will serve to benefit the society that the NWU serves. Few fields of study fit this description better than chartered accountancy. In a country that faces unique challenges, chartered accountants (CAs) play a vital role in setting a course to prosperity.

During the recent July USSA competition, bodybuilder and North -West University (NWU) student Penny Sambo finished first in his division and was announced the overall winner of the bodybuilding tournament.

Participants in competitive bodybuilding, such as Penny, demonstrate their developed muscular build with their personal posing routines and certain postures necessary for the competition. Muscularity, conditioning, and symmetry are used to evaluate them.

Already dealing with soaring food and transport prices, South African consumers await the next blow, the Reserve Bank’s latest repro rate decision.

The bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is expected to announce its decision after its meeting on 21 July, and it appears the committee doesn’t have much room to manoeuvre.

Prof Waldo Krugell, an economist from the North-West University (NWU) Business School, says South Africa has experienced a surge in inflation that has businesses concerned and households under pressure. 

The North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences recently hosted a property investment workshop for students.

The workshop – themed “Empowering South Africa’s youth through property entrepreneurship” – was jointly hosted with the South African Property Investment club (SAPIN) and the Black Management Forum (BMF).

Dr Alex Molefi from the faculty says the purpose of the workshop was to ensure that students understand the different professions within property investment and how individuals can invest in property.

The older the wine lovers, the drier the wine they prefer, and the longer it takes to consume what they bought.

These are two of the findings of a recent study on the wine preferences of different age groups that the research unit TREES (Tourism Research in Economics, Environs and Society) undertook.

In the study, “That old saying about wine and age: identifying South African age-cohort preferences”, the research team of Prof Martinette Kruger and Dr Adam Viljoen found that age plays a significant role in the preferences of wine consumers.