Violent crime in South Africa is rampant, with the country frequently ranked as one of the most dangerous in the world, as well as among the most unsafe in Africa. Citizens are afraid, and justifiably so, adapting to crime as though it is no longer temporary, but permanent. This fear has for decades quietly been redesigning suburban South Africa.
Prof. Tobie van Dyk will receive the Jacques van der Elst Prize.
Our researchers continue to receive national recognition for their impactful work across a wide range of disciplines. The North-West University (NWU) has five nominees for the 2025/2026 NSTF‑South32 Awards. This further affirms our standing as a contributor to excellence in science, engineering, technology and innovation in South Africa.
It is the battle of the billionaires as two of the most powerful heavyweights in the tech industry will step into the ring on Monday 27 April in Oakland, California, when Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Sam Altman goes to trial.
Thabang Motswaledi
The ongoing African tour by Pope Leo XIV has drawn global attention, positioning the continent as a key player in international relationships and peacebuilding efforts at a time when several regions continue to face conflict, governance pressures and social divisions.
As crime continues to ravage communities across South Africa, a North-West University (NWU) researcher has highlighted how indigenous languages play an active role in strengthening crime prevention efforts through communication strategies in rural areas.
In communities across the country, frustration is quietly building. What begins as a missed service or delayed response often grows into something deeper, a sense that the system meant to serve the people is no longer working for them. The failures of local government are no longer distant policy concerns or abstract debates. They are lived, daily realities, and for many, it is not just about the lack of services but about a loss of trust.
An opinion piece by Dr Lesiba Tumishang Ledwaba, deputy director of the School of Social Sciences and a senior lecturer in History at the NWU.
The brutal massacre of Sharpeville residents by racist, trigger-happy apartheid policemen on 21 March 1960 continues to be a part of societal discourse that highlights apartheid hegemony that was cemented and immensely reliant on extreme violence for its existence and unjustified longevity.
The Riverside Hotel in Vanderbijlpark recently buzzed with intellectual energy as academics, students, policymakers and thought leaders from across Africa gathered for the North-West University (NWU) Trio Conference on Afrocentric Governance, Multilingualism and Transformation.
Over three days, participants from South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Malawi and Lesotho and beyond convened to reimagine the development of Africa through an Afrocentric lens – grounded in indigenous knowledge, African languages and cultural values.
By Mzwandile Ndlovu
For South Africa to prosper municipalities must become engines of social justice that engage with citizens, deliver on services and sustainable development and are held accountable for their governance.