“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing.” – Pelé

This quote could not be more fitting for the occasion, as the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Humanities honoured academic excellence on 30 July during the Dean’s List Award Ceremony held at the D'vine venue on the Potchefstroom Campus.

The way technology shapes power, and how power defines technology, is the focus of a new study led by Amantle Mothelesi, a lecturer at North-West University’s (NWU) School of Philosophy, which argues that Africa needs a locally grounded philosophy of technology, shaped by post-colonial realities.

By Gofaone Motsamai

In a hall filled with eager students and guests, the air buzzed with anticipation as the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Faculty of Humanities prepared to host its annual Dean’s Merit Awards.

The Dean’s Merit List recognises students who achieve an average of 75% and above in all their modules. Only 138 students from the Faculty of Humanities– just 2% of the 7 000 enrolled – earned a place on the 2025 list for excelling academically in the previous year.

In a powerful demonstration of language, heritage and collaboration, university language specialists have partnered with the Provincial House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders to hold a training programme for Dikgosi (traditional leaders).

The Language Directorate of the North-West University (NWU) played a key role in the week-long programme, held in Rustenburg from 2 to 6 June for Dikgosi from across the North West Province.

The recent announcement by Cameroon’s 92-year-old President, Paul Biya, that he will seek re-election has reignited debates around prolonged leadership in Africa. Biya, who has been in office for 43 years, would be nearing 100 should he complete another term, making him one of the oldest and longest-serving leaders on the continent.

North-West University (NWU) academic Thabang Motswaledi from the School of Government Studies says Biya’s announcement reflects a larger governance issue in Africa.

The concert hall was silent. When the words came, they came almost reluctantly. “Here I am, having to give a lecture,” said Prof Piet Koornhof, a violinist. “I would much rather perform music. So, I shall do both.”

With that, Prof Koornhof from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) School of Music set the tone for an inaugural lecture that merged scholarship with stagecraft.

Held at the Potchefstroom Campus on 25 June 2025, his lecture traced the anatomy of expressive musical performance, not just as a technical exercise, but as a deeply human act.

The involvement of students from the North-West University's (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus in the recent National School Sport Championships marks another significant milestone in the university’s growing partnership with the North West Provincial Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.

By Gofaone Motsamai and Phenyo Mokgothu

Using indigenous languages to communicate health information could significantly improve breast cancer awareness among African women.

“Health information in the local languages not only enhances understanding but also increases trust in the messages being delivered,” says Dr Evaristus Adesina and Prof Abiodun Salawu of the Indigenous Language Media in Africa research unit at the North-West University (NWU).

Musical theatre, a vibrant blend of song, dance and drama, has long been a playground for the audacious and the talented. Star and celebrity have always been a staple for glittering marquees of Broadway to the neon-lit stages of the West End, however this has in recent decades become a contentious issue as celebrity as a concept has undergone tremendous change. When looking to fill seats in theatres the phenomenon of casting TV and film stars has become a defining feature, sparking debates as intense as a show-stopping ballad.

By Gofaone Motsamai and Nikelo Mehlomakulu

The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean, serving as a lifeline for international trade and transport. South Africa is a key player in the 23-country Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the North-West University (NWU) is an integral part of the IORA Academic Group, which promotes collaboration among universities, governments and communities in the region.