Your kidneys work quietly, filtering waste, balancing fluids and regulating blood pressure every single day. Most people never think about these essential organs until something goes wrong and, unfortunately, statistics show that kidney disease is a growing problem. Millions of South Africans are affected by kidney disease and many do not even know they have it. 

The good news is that kidney disease is one of the most preventable and manageable chronic conditions when detected early.

• As more countries restrict social media access for children, should South Africa follow suit, or find a solution better suited to its own realities? 
• Social media may expose children to cyberbullying and harmful content, but its developmental cost could also lie in the conversations, play and sleep it displaces. 

• Even the cheapest nutritious foods can cost two to ten times more per calorie than maize meal.

• Watery porridge may fill a child’s stomach without providing the nutrition needed for growth.

South African researchers are increasingly looking for innovative ways to improve health outcomes, particularly as the country faces rising rates of obesity, diabetes and other metabolic diseases. A new research chair, the first for biochemistry at the North-West University (NWU), aims to make an impact on the lives of people suffering from metabolic ailments. 

The North-West University (NWU) has reached a decisive milestone in establishing the Desmond Tutu School of Medicine following the accreditation of its Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme by the Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) of the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

The CHE confirmed the accreditation in correspondence dated 21 August 2026. The six-year, 940-credit programme will be offered in contact mode at the Potchefstroom Campus.