Vanderbijlpark Campus News
NWU alumnus wins prestigious Rural Cricketer of the Year award
One of the most renowned cricketers in the Vaal Triangle has shown that talent, temperament and a love for the game can take a player to great heights. Wikus Botha, the former NWU Vanderbijlpark director of Cricket, was named the Cricket South Africa (CSA) Rural Player of the Year at the 2026 awards ceremony.
This is an incredible achievement for 39-year-old Botha, who successfully balances his role as a player with that of a renowned cricket coach who has a passion for investing in young players.
NWU’s Tinotenda: master of the basketball court
At the tender age of 10, Tinotenda Chirara fell in love … with basketball. Ever since his introduction to the sport way back in 2006, he has taken the court by storm, conquering his goals one hoop at a time.
This 24-year-old second-year BA student at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark is a modern-day Renaissance…
Going digital an exciting new journey for NWU’s Enterprising Women Programme
Small business owners are prepared for many things, but the Covid‑19 pandemic is not only leaving us uncertain about how to cope in these strange times, but has also resulted in an unprecedented shift in the way that we do business.
Entrepreneurs may be wondering how to stay relevant to their customers and how to prepare for a post‑crisis…
NWU’s Leopards Lair Competition: calling all young entrepreneurs
Do you have what it takes to enter the proverbial leopard’s lair and stand your ground as a young entrepreneur? Do you have an out-of-the-box business idea? Do you see yourself as an innovator? If you do, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) popular Leopards Lair Competition is just for you!
This year marks the fourth rendition of the…
Connecting to ignite a growth revolution in Africa
Why try to reinvent the wheel when others are facing similar challenges and together you could succeed in “connecting to ignite a growth revolution”?
This was the thinking of the team of researchers from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Optentia research focus area who visited Namibia to foster relationships with government, business,…
Nothing artificial about their expertise
A small research group at the North-West University (NWU) is starting to attract real interest for their work on artificial intelligence (AI).
“The amount of interest has come as something of a surprise,” says Prof Marelie Davel, who – with PhD student Tian Theunissen – recently travelled to New York, USA, to present their latest findings at…
Alumnus rakes in Mzansi Youth Awards nominations
Vincent Kheswa is a man of many abilities. He enjoys acclaim as an educator, a poet, a writer, a public speaker, a songwriter and a recording artist. And now, this talented alumnus of the North-West University (NWU), is also a multi-category nominee in the annual national multi-industry Mzansi Youth Awards (MYAs).
In an announcement on…
Serving ourselves and humanity during the Covid-19 pandemic
In March 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus disease (Covid-19) as a global pandemic. Subsequently many people are overwhelmed by feelings of worry and anxiousness, especially by the constantly changing alerts, media coverage and national lock down regarding the Corona virus.
Two experts from…
Lockdown: Yabelana connects communities with essential services
Relying on other people within the community for information is a reality faced by many South Africans.With the country currently being on lockdown for the next few weeks, getting accurate information regarding social services could be a nightmare.
Fortunately, the North-West University (NWU) has come to the rescue with Yabelana, a ground…
A silver lining amidst COVID-19?
The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly shown us what it means to live in unprecedented times. In the following opinion piece, Michelle Groenewald – a lecturer in economics at the North-West University (NWU) – shares her views on some encouraging measures that have taken place of late. She asks the question: can South Africans demand a better…
Postdoctoral fellow from Malaysia Joins Optentia
International postdoctoral fellows play an important role in spearheading postgraduate research activity at the North-West University (NWU). This type of internationalisation also supports the NWU’s drive to benefit society trough excellence in innovative learning and teaching and cutting edge research.
The Optentia research focus…