Awards and accolades

Students fly NWU flag high at Debating Championship

The Debating Society on the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus made great strides at the Southern Africa Universities Debating Championship grand final when Thato Katametsi and Jeremiah Mukwena attained overall second position in the English second language category.

The grand final took place on 13 August 2022 at Wits University, with four teams – consisting of two people per team – participating. The teams were the NWU, Wits University, the University of Johannesburg and Free State University. Wits University walked away with the first prize.

Submitted on Thu, 08/18/2022 - 09:19

NWU Debating Union focuses on student development

Ontiretse Motingwa

The Mahikeng chapter of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Debating Union recently hosted a one-day hybrid dialogue session on financial literacy and workplace readiness.

According to Boitumelo Malatji, president of the Debating Union, the union aims to foster meaningful conversations that are of value to the student community. "We want our members and the student body as a whole to talk about important matters that will help them in future.”

Submitted on Mon, 08/15/2022 - 08:54

Minister appoints NWU academic on professional board for social work

Minister of Social Development Ms Lindiwe Zulu recently appointed North-West University (NWU) academic Dr Elizabeth Smit as member of the Professional Board for Social Work at the South African Council for Social Service Professions (SACSSP). 

Dr Smit, the deputy director in the School of Psychosocial Health in the Faculty of Humanities, says her appointment for a period of five years comes after a nomination process early in May. 

“Most of the social workers supported my nomination, and the local Department of Social Development office also rallied behind me. 

Submitted on Thu, 08/04/2022 - 09:49

NWU alumnus is first female municipal manager

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Advocate Dineo Mongwaketse has recently been appointed as the first-ever female manager for the Mahikeng local municipality, and assumed office on 1 August.

Advocate Mongwaketse recently graduated with an LLM degree from the NWU. She also holds an LLB and MBA degree from the NWU, as well as a BTech in internal auditing and a national diploma in internal auditing from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. After completing her LLB degree, she served pupillage at the North West Bar Association.

Submitted on Wed, 08/03/2022 - 12:54

From the newsroom to a PhD in law

The story of Dr Elfas Torerai is a classic case of focus, determination, persistence and success personified. He started off as a rookie journalist, plying his trade in community newspapers. Before long, he joined the mainstream media where he rose to become the provincial correspondent of the now defunct The New Age/AfroVoice.

In between the tight deadlines, he pursued an LLB degree at Unisa, and graduated in 2018.

Submitted on Tue, 08/02/2022 - 10:06

NWU defeats UFS 2-0

The North-West University (NWU) Eagles earned their second victory in the 2022 Varsity Football tournament when they defeated the University of the Free State (UFS) in a nail-biting match at the NWU Mahikeng stadium on 28 July.

Omphile Shuping scored the game's opening goal in the 68th minute after a wonderful play with Lehlohonolo Mohlabai.

Lehlohonolo scored the second goal – an out-of-the-box long-range shot – in the 77th minute.

Submitted on Fri, 07/29/2022 - 10:59

NWU alumnus is a top 10 Education Changemaker

North-West University (NWU) alumnus Tebogo Edwin Lesoro has been selected as one of the winners of the Education Changemakers programme.

This programme, now running for its second year, was initiated by the Trevor Noah Foundation, in partnership with the Young African Leaders Initiative Regional Leadership Centre Southern Africa (YALI RCLSA) and the University of South Africa.

Tebogo came in sixth in the top 10 best presentations from participants in the Southern African Developing Countries (SADC) region.

Submitted on Tue, 07/26/2022 - 14:34

Inaugural lecture sheds light on dark energy and why the theory of gravity is at a crossroads

On 14 July 2022, North-West University (NWU) professor in the subject group Physics, Prof Amare Abebe Gidelew, presented his inaugural lecture titled “Matters of Gravity: The how and why of cosmic evolution”. 

Prof Gidelew presented a brief account of one of humanity’s greatest adventures: trying to understand the origin, evolution, and ultimate fate of the universe we live in.

He showed that our understanding of the universe and the physical processes involved in its evolution has in itself evolved over time.

Submitted on Thu, 07/21/2022 - 09:30